Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) commemorated the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3rd by holding a cross-sector joint workshop inviting JAMK Finland, the East Java Province, UNAIR Hospital, and dr. Soetomo Hospital on December 17, 2021.

The workshop started with opening remarks by Prof. Ir. Mochamad Ashari, M.Eng. as the Rector of ITS, Dr. Vesa Saarikoski as the Rector and CEO of JAMK University of Applied Science, Finland, and Ms. Arumi Bachsin as Head of Driving Team of Empowerment and Family Welfare in East Java.

Complementing the event were the representatives of Provincial Health Office of East Java, Yamet Child Development Center, and BPJS Indonesia.

Inviting government, researchers, doctors, experts, and NGOs, this workshop emphasized on the rehabilitation urgencies in Indonesia, the rehabilitation technology and its needed human resources, health insurance funding support in rehabilitation, and plans for the rehabilitation technology and human resources reinforcement in the future.

The main event consists of three panel sessions. The first panel presentation accommodated Finnish speakers from the Institute of Rehabilitation at JAMK Finland, Mr. Kari-Pekka Murtonen as Head of Global Action, and Dr. Eeva Aartolahti, a Senior Researcher, discussing Digital Rehabilitation: Building Back Better for Future Rehabilitation Services for All and Virtual Reality and Gamification in Evidence-based Digital Rehabilitation.

The second panel session was contributed to Indonesian experts from East Java and Surabaya. Doctor (drg.) Inna Widya Satvika from the Provincial Health Office of East Java, discussed the Handling Policy for Person with Disabilities. The Head of The Installation of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Yudith Dian Prawitri, dr., Sp.KFR, discussed Disability: Health Services Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Perspective. A prominent doctor of Sports Injury Rehabilitation Division in Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya, dr. I Putu Alit Pawana, Sp.KFR-K, doctor of Sports Injury Rehabilitation Division in Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya, talked about Hand Orthosis: A Challenge for Rehabilitation Technology.

During the session, ITS representatives talked about their research. Dr. Achmad Arifin, S.T., M.Eng, Head of the Biomedical Engineering Department, shared his research on Biocynertics Approaches on Development of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies for Persons with Disabilities. Meanwhile, Djoko Kuswanto, S.T., M. Biotech, Head of Integrated Digital Design (IDIG) Laboratory shared his ideas entitled the Role of Higher Education Research for a Friendly Community Ecosystem for Friends with Disabilities.

The third panel discussion was participated by Indonesian stakeholders. Dr. Himawan Estu Bagijo from the Provincial Manpower Department of East Java shared about the labor service policies on the right of working accident protection and occupational disease. The Provincial Social Service Department of East Java shared about the implementation of data collection and social assistance for persons with disabilities, the provincial social care, and the cross-sector synergy in the implementation of the protection and services for persons with disabilities. BPJS (the Indonesian social security agency of health) shared their flagship program and the overview on about national health facilities, policy directions, regulatory referrals for and types of disability services covered by BPJS, and also the work accident insurance program.

The session was also enriched by dr. Tri Gunadi, a lecturer and CEO of Yamet Child Development Center, Universitas Indonesia, Ir. H. Susanto Sudiro, M.Sc., Ph.D., the Vice President of PT Mega Andalan Kalasan, and Prof. Dr. Koosnadi Saputra SpRad(k)., the Founder of Acupuncture Academy of Surabaya.

The three panel sessions were then followed by a discussion session with six breakout rooms based on the six different topics including government’s policy and funding support for workplace accident facilitation and rehabilitation, technology and affordability of rehabilitation equipment in the context of developed and developing countries, research, development, and commercialization of rehabilitation technology: collaboration between government, university, research institution, and industry, local & global in human resources provision for rehabilitation services in Indonesia, mindset change to view Public Works Department, and more integrated approach to 1000 Prosthetic Hands Act.

Joint Workshop of Rehabilitation Technology for Humanity was wrapped by the presentation of each breakout room’s innovation regarding each assigned topic.

It was also expected that innovative collaborations would grow upon the implementation of the event to improve health and well-being outcomes, resulted from the synergy of local government, local production companies, NGOs, institutions, universities from both countries,  while also involving the roles of rehabilitators, rehabilitation experts and doctors, engineers, and higher education students in total of 125 participants.