Rumah Sobat: Integrated Self-Care Group for Leprosy in Jayapura City, Papua Province

Abstract

Leprosy is a chronic communicable and becomes neglected disease. Papua Province still become a leprosy pocket area in Indonesia, including Jayapura City. One of leprosy pocket area in Jayapura City is Hamadi. Based on data, there were 131 active leprosy patients in Hamadi Public Health Centre (PHC) until June 2019. From a research in 2015, showed that lack of knowledge about leprosy and its management among household contacts become important factor for leprosy patients. Rumah Sobat (Pal's House) an integrated self-care group for leprosy was operated in November 2015 in Hamadi PHC. Adopted 5 tables program from Posyandu Balita (Integrated Health Centre for Pre and Post Natal), Rumah Sobat have 5 parts (corners) consists: registration corner, education corner, care and treatment corner, examination corner (physical and laboratory tests) and handicraft skill corner. Operated one time in a month. 64 persons (20 active patients, 7 cured patients and 37 household contacts) were attended the opening of Rumah Sobat. Positive response arise from patients, household contacts and stakeholders. Rumah sobat still operating until now. Integrated selfcare group with household contacts and ex leprosy patients involved, can used as alternative of leprosy caring method. In other hand, more approach methods and techniques were needed to increasing the participants of Rumah Sobat.