Traditional Medicine Program provides training on herbal medicine

UNAIR NEWS – Family medicinal plants (toga) are actually quite easy to find. However, not many people know about its properties and how to process it. Even though during a pandemic like this, herbal ingredients are very useful to maintain and improve the body’s immune system.

In this regard, Traditional Medicine Program (Battra), Faculty of Vocational Studies, Universitas Airlangga, has held Herbal Production Training. This activity was a part of a community service event held at Fave Hotel Rungkut, Surabaya on Saturday, September 26, 2020.

Rini Hamsidi, S.Farm., M.Farm., Apt, Head of the committee said that six participants were trained on using medicinal plants for production of natural handsanitizer. The training participants were also introduced to herbal medicine as a booster for the immune system.

Rini, continued that the training was intended to provide education through counseling and guidance to residents, especially to the elderly group of AN NISAA Islamic community.

“We only invited a few representatives to attend this mentoring and training. Hopefully, these women will be able to share their knowledge with other members in their community, ” she said.

During the event, participants were taught how to improve the immune system using medicinal plants, such as ginger, turmeric, and curcuma into herbal health drinks as well as betel leaf as a natural antiseptic that is environmentally friendly.

Rini also explained that the participants were also taught how to make instant powder from those medicinal plants. The entire process also done using pharmaceutical principles. “We showed the manufacturing process to the packaging process to the participants,” said Faculty of Vocational Studies lecturer.

Rini said, the committee provided all the equipments, ginger powder, and handsanitizer. So, participants can participate more practically.

Some other lecturers from Traditional Medicine Program also attended as presenters of the event, including Onny Priskilla, SKM, M.Kes and Dwi Indah Puspita, S.Tr.

“The presentation of material that we provide is also followed with practical learning to increase the understanding of the participants. In addition, we also provide books containing recipes, so they can try them at home,” she explained.

To the editorial team, Rini said that during the event, health protocols were strictly enforced. It can be seen from the limited training participants and all participants and committee members must wear masks at all times during the event.

“It should have been carried out at the village hall, but because Covid-19 transmission is still high, we are doing it at Fave Hotel while still implementing strict health protocols,” said Rini in an online interview Monday night.

Rini encouraged people to use herbal resources more, especially in boosting the immune system during the current pandemic. “We really hope that activities like this can be carried out continuously so the community can get the benefits,” concluded Rini. (*)