UNIBA Medical Students Conduct Fogging in Tembesi, DPRD Urges Puskesmas Coordination

Medical students from the Universitas Baleian Batam (UNIBA) Faculty of Medicine conducted fogging operations in Tembesi, Sagulung, to combat mosquito-borne diseases. Members of the Batam Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) have since called for stricter coordination between student volunteers and local community health centers (Puskesmas) to ensure public health interventions align with official medical protocols, according to reporting by Batamnews on July 16, 2026.

UNIBA Medical Students Lead Fogging in Tembesi

The fogging initiative in Tembesi, Sagulung, was carried out by students from the UNIBA Faculty of Medicine as part of a community outreach effort. The activity targeted areas prone to mosquito breeding to reduce the risk of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), a significant public health concern in the Riau Islands province.

Batamnews reports that while the students’ intentions were aimed at disease prevention, the execution of the fogging drew the attention of local government officials. The DPRD expressed a need for these activities to be integrated into the existing healthcare framework managed by the government.

DPRD Mandates Coordination With Puskesmas

The Batam DPRD emphasized that any public health intervention, particularly those involving chemical spraying or medical outreach, must be coordinated with the local Puskesmas. This requirement ensures that fogging is conducted based on actual epidemiological data rather than arbitrary site selection.

According to the DPRD, coordination with health centers allows the government to track where outbreaks are actually occurring. This prevents the waste of resources and ensures that the chemicals used are appropriate for the specific mosquito resistance patterns found in the Sagulung area.

The Role of Fogging in Vector Control

Fogging is a method of thermal fogging used to kill adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. However, public health guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Indonesian Ministry of Health typically categorize fogging as a secondary measure. It is intended for use only during active outbreaks or when a high number of confirmed cases are present in a specific radius.

The primary method for controlling dengue remains the “3M Plus” strategy, which includes draining water reservoirs, covering water containers, and recycling potential breeding sites. Relying solely on fogging without addressing larval habitats can lead to a false sense of security and potential insecticide resistance in mosquito populations.

Standards for Medical Student Community Service

Community service projects by medical students are common in Indonesia, but they generally require supervision from licensed physicians or public health officials. The call for coordination by the DPRD highlights the necessity of bridging the gap between academic practice and official government health policy.

When students operate independently of the Puskesmas, there is a risk of inconsistent data reporting. If a student group identifies a “hotspot” and treats it without reporting it to the health center, the official government maps for disease surveillance remain inaccurate, potentially delaying larger-scale interventions where they are most needed.