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Dozens of village health volunteers from Karang Asem Village, Paliyan District, Gunung Kidul Regency, gathered at the Sutra Buwana Pavilion on Saturday (June 20, 2026). They participated in a training session on health volunteer empowerment for the prevention and management of hypertension, organized by the Molecular Biology, Immunology, and Complementary Medicine Research Group (RG BIMOLI.COM) of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret (FK UNS), Surakarta.

This activity—part of a Community Service program funded by the UNS Research Group Grant (Contract No. 463/UN27.22/PT.01.03/2026)—featured two keynote speakers from FK UNS: Dr. Agus Jati Sunggoro, Sp.PD., Subsp.HOM(K), FINASIM, and Prof. Dr. Ida Nurwati, dr., M.Kes., Sp.Ak, who serves as the Head of RG BIMOLI FK UNS.

During his session, Dr. Agus Jati presented material covering the basics of hypertension, blood pressure classification, and risk factors, as well as warning signs requiring immediate referral to a healthcare facility. He emphasized the vital role of health volunteers as the first line of defense for early detection at the community level.

“Hypertension is a silent killer. Many residents experience no symptoms or complaints, yet their blood pressure is already dangerously high. Community health volunteers are the first ones who can detect this before it is too late,” said Dr. Agus Jati, addressing an audience composed primarily of female “Posyandu” (integrated health post) volunteers.

During her session, Prof. Dr. Ida Nurwati presented material on hypertension prevention through the DASH diet and self-administered acupressure, as well as the importance of medication adherence for residents who have already been diagnosed. She emphasized that the pocketbook distributed that day was designed specifically for volunteers, not medical professionals.

“We deliberately wrote this book using the simplest language possible, because it is the volunteers who are out in the field every day, not us in the hospitals,” said Prof. Ida.

The event continued with an interactive Q&A session. The volunteers enthusiastically asked questions ranging from how to handle residents who refuse to take their medication and managing high blood pressure in pregnant women, to inquiries about the use of *jamu* (traditional herbal medicine) as a supplement to medical treatment.

The practical session was the highlight for the participants. The community health volunteers took turns practicing blood pressure measurement using digital monitors under the guidance of the FK UNS team. The team also introduced a hypertension monitoring logbook—a specialized record book designed to help volunteers track residents' monthly blood pressure readings, monitor high-risk individuals, and document follow-up actions taken.

In addition to the training, RG BIMOLI.COM distributed a pocketbook titled "Pocketbook for Volunteers: Caring About Hypertension—A Guide to Early Detection, Prevention, and Blood Pressure Monitoring," along with educational leaflets, for participants to take home as field references.

The head of the community service project, Dr. dr. Dwi Surya Supriyana, M.Kes., Sp.Ak., stated that this activity represents a tangible contribution by FK UNS academics to addressing public health issues at the village level. "We hope that following this training, every volunteer will be able to detect hypertension early, properly educate residents, and facilitate timely referrals," he said.

This activity, which also involved nine lecturers and ten students from the UNS Faculty of Medicine (FK UNS), received a warm welcome from the local village government. All participants showed great enthusiasm throughout the event and gathered for a group photo at the end, capping off a spirited day.

Public Relations of FK UNS