Summary

Tello Mobile Clinic (TMC) aims to decrease the incidence of common illnesses and other manageable health problems in Pulau-Pulau Batu (Rock Islands) through the provision of mobile health services to marginalized and isolated communities in the North Sumatra region of Indonesia.

Program goals

• To improve the quality and quantity of health services in remote areas

• To reduce mortality and morbidity rates and improve the quality of life

The services directly provided by the team, including basic health care and health education, will significantly contribute to reducing the number of common diseases - such as gastritis, ARI, hypertension, and malaria - in the community and will particularly improve maternal and child health.

 

Key program components

• Basic Health Care (plus referral system and individual counseling)

• Health Education

TMC uses a boat clinic to deliver medical care to a number of remote Indonesian islands in order to overcome the lack of access to services and infrastructure that has characterized these communities for many years. The four-person medical team consists of a doctor, nurse/health promoter, and 2 office support personnel who are based in the capital of the Tello island sub-district.

The mobile team uses a rented wood motor boat to visit the region's remote rocky islands on a regular basis. The visit schedules are agreed upon in advance with the collaboration of several village stakeholders. Upon arrival to an island, the medical team will usually stay for several days (remaining at the village chief's house or another community leader) depending on the need and weather.

The team provides basic care to the island communities and collaborates with the Tello and Puskesmas Hospitals for special cases that need advance diagnosis and treatment. The Tello hospital was established by MAP in 2007 and is currently managed by the Surya Kebenaran International Foundation. Patients in need of advanced care are directed to the hospital using a standardized letter of referral. In some cases, the mobile team (in collaboration with other key personnel) directly facilitates the transportation of poor patients to the Tello hospital.

MAP's mobile clinic project helps facilitate knowledge transfer and capacity building, and raises awareness about various health issues among the local poor communities. In addition to providing curative medical treatment, the team also educates the isolated populations on disease-prevention measures and healthy practices. Furthermore, a number of key community leaders are trained by the team to serve as outreach workers, encouraging healthy behavior such as personal hygiene, nutrition, safe water treatment, and sanitation. Thus far, 20 such groups have been established in 20 villages. These cadres act as "the agent of healthy behavior change" in their community by practicing healthy behavior, disseminating key health messages, raising vegetable gardens to improve nutrition, and encouraging the sick to seek appropriate health from the local health providers.