Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, is currently highlighting a crucial issue behind the national health progress narrative. Behind the beauty of its mountainous landscape, access to clean water and proper sanitation remains a luxury for most residents. This condition makes diarrhea, which the World Health Organization (WHO) still classifies as a leading cause of under-five mortality worldwide, an unresolved real threat in the region.
A recent study published in the Indonesian Journal of Health Promotion Publication (MPPKI) used a Geographic Information System (GIS) approach to map the vulnerability to this disease. The analysis results show a striking disparity; areas such as West Cibal, North Rahong, and Cibal were identified as priority intervention zones due to the combination of low sanitation levels and high disease incidence.
An interesting finding emerged when comparing these areas with regions like Lelak. Although Lelak has relatively adequate water and sanitation infrastructure, the incidence rate of diarrhea remains high. This phenomenon suggests that physical infrastructure is only one part of the solution. Community behavior factors, food hygiene quality, and the speed of access to primary healthcare services serve as crucial variables determining the effectiveness of disease prevention efforts.
On the other hand, the success of areas like Langke Rembong and North Satar Mese in reducing diarrhea rates proves that sanitation improvements and consistent hygiene behavior education have a significant impact on public health status. This best practice model is expected to serve as a reference for local governments in distributing limited resources more precisely and targetedly.
Local governments are urged to focus not only on curative treatments at community health centers (puskesmas), but also to strengthen policies at the foundational level. The utilization of spatial mapping data must serve as a primary instrument in designing latrine construction and clean water supply programs to ensure the fulfillment of basic human rights in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets.
Innovation in health education is also an urgent necessity. Conventional approaches using posters are deemed ready to be abandoned and replaced with digital communication that is more persuasive for communities. Ultimately, as long as access to clean water and proper sanitation remains hindered, the success of health development cannot be considered complete. Public health is a reflection of the state's presence in guaranteeing the welfare of its citizens across remote areas of the country.
