MUHAMMADIYAH.ID, YOGYAKARTA – The COVID-19 pandemic has brought huge impacts on people’s lives in both Indonesia and the world. It renders deaths and a cessation of activities in almost all sectors since it is an effective means of breaking the COVID-19 transmissions.
Muhammadiyah through its task force, the Muhammadiyah COVID-19 Command Center (MCCC), has always played significant roles in the COVID-19 mitigation. The efforts are supported by internal parties of Muhammadiyah, namely Muhammadiyah organization structures and the members, and external parties such as private companies and partner institutions.
Chairman of the MCCC Agus Samsudin stated that Alms, Zakat, Infaq, and Shadaqoh Board of Muhammadiyah (Lazismu) has provided funds for the MCCC programs and engaged members of Muhammadiyah branches (PCM and PRM) in performing philanthropy. Muhammadiyah Charity and Services (AUM) have also contributed to the COVID-19 mitigation.
“Up to 26 May 2020 at 4 p.m., 77 Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah hospitals have taken care of 3,126 people under monitoring (ODP), 1,623 patients under surveillance (PDP), and 235 COVID-19 positive patients,” reported Agus.
Besides, he thanked external parties as partner institutions, higher education, private companies, and international donor organizations for trusting Muhammadiyah. They afforded funds as operational support to the MCCC.
The external parties were the Central Board of Aisyiyah, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of the Australian Government, UNICEF, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Indonesian Economics Bachelor Association (ISEI), PT. Erlangga, PT. Tirta Investama (Danone), KKS of Faculty of Social and Political Science of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Alumni of Master of Nursing of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, TVMu, Kompas TV, Kompas Gramedia, Sobat Ambyar, Kitabisa.com, Wardah, Alfamidi, PT Kelola Mina Laut, Alfamart, Bank Mega Syariah, Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH), Bank Bukopin Syariah, CIMB Niaga Syariah, ReIndo, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Baznas, Gojek, and Narasi. The external parties are also influencers as Teuku Wisnu, Ihsan Tarore, Dewi Sandra, Dhini Aminarti, Vebby Palwinta, and Tiara "Indonesian Idol".
Meanwhile, a partnership with UNICEF focused on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCEE) that promoted how to prevent and what to do to protect children’s welfare during the pandemic.
The program was addressed to people in six provinces, namely Sumatera Utara (Medan and Deli Serdang), Sumatera Barat (Padang and Pariaman), Lampung (Metro), Jawa Barat (Cimahi, Kabupaten Bandung Barat, Sumedang, Bandung, and Bekasi), Kalimantan Selatan (Banjarmasin, Barito Kuala, and Banjar Baru), and Sulawesi Selatan (Makassar, Goa, and Maros).
Through the partnership, the MCCC conducted volunteer recruitment and training, offered mobil penerangan keliling (a car providing services for community), made hand washing facilities, facilitated online meetings to arrange programs, designed materials, disseminated the materials, and campaigned on social media.
In addition, a partnership with DFAT was dealing with communication, information, and education (KIE) by distributing 1,700 copies of COVID-19 prevention guidelines to 34 regencies in Indonesia; doing a ‘door-to-door’ campaign to promote #dirumahaja (#stayathome) by 340 volunteers; making 65 banners of COVID-19 prevention protocols in 13 provinces; and arranging guidelines of COVID-19 transmission prevention and mechanism, procedures, and skills to tackle the outbreak. The guidelines discussed 10 topics regarding what COVID-19 is, COVID-19 terms, personal guidelines, community guidelines, and the management of the body.
Other partnerships encompassed information dissemination, community education, call center establishment, Psychosocial Support Services (LDP), webinars, online training, training in the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for health workers, and provision situation rooms for call center operations, the LDP, monitoring and evaluation (monev).
Muhammadiyah through the MCCC invites all elements of the nation to remain vigilant and to be rational to respond to the COVID-19 issues. Now, it is time for us to utilize our own strengths to contribute to provide true information. Indeed, all people are encouraged to follow recommendations of Muhammadiyah and the government to maintain hygiene, do physical distancing, use a mask, and wash hands.