UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Indonesia, and Yayasan Kusuma Buana (YKB) have conducted the second annual seminar to commemorate the late Dr. Firman Lubis and award the inaugural Firman Lubis Memorial Award to three young medical students who have the potential to continue his legacy in the field of reproductive health in Indonesia.
Dr. Joedo Prihartono, Executive Director of YKB thanked UNFPA for its support of the award. “Through this award we can identify and select medical students at the University of Indonesia’s medical school who best reflect the ideals and commitment Dr. Firman Lubis,” said Dr Prihartono. Recipients of the award will be given a work opportunity within the YKB system to fulfill their compulsory internship requirements.
Mr. Jose Ferraris, UNFPA Representative in Indonesia, said that the award would allow Dr Lubis’s example of leadership in civil society to live on with the nation’s future doctors and public health leaders. “All of us here today share Pak Firman’s commitment to community empowerment in the promotion of health and welfare,” said Mr. Ferraris. “Working in the sensitive and often controversial area of sexual and reproductive health and family planning is indeed a challenge but Pak Firman’s fearlessness, and his courage and conviction for doing the right thing, is an inspiration to us all.”
Dr. Ratna Sitompul, a Dean of Faculty of Medicine University of Indonesia said “There is a critical need to identify young individuals with significant potential to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Firman Lubis to work in community health and reproductive health issues.”
After a video of remembrance for Dr. Lubis and remarks from his wife, Dr. Setiawati Budiningsih, the inaugural winners of the Firman Lubis Memorial Award presented research proposals for their internships, which focused on solutions to help more people increase awareness on reproductive health issues.
The inaugural winners are Oviliani Wijayanti, Adam Brata and Karina Maharani Pramudya.
Dr. Joedo thanked the winners for their presentations and said that with their placements at YKB, they will be involved in many community health events and discussions related with reproductive health issues.”
UNFPA worked in partnership with Dr. Firman to address important challenges including adolescent reproductive health and south-south cooperation on family planning. Mr. Ferraris said that he hoped the award recipients would become part of a new generation of partners in addressing these challenges.
Tags: reproductive health
