HEALTH EMPOWERMENT: HEALTH SERVICE STRATEGIES TO POOR COMMUNITY AROUND CONSERVED FOREST

This research was done in Central Bengkulu District, in suburbs of Semidang Bukit Kabu within
conserved forest area. Poverty and isolation were the causes of low access to health services. This
weakness requires a strategy through health empowerment. This research purpose was to explore the
benefits of community empowerment activities in health as healthy house renovation, doctors visiting
to village and free medical treatment and integrated service for elderly by Community Economic Zone
(CEZ)-CSR PT. Pertamina. It uses qualitative method to produce descriptive data on public health
phenomena related to forests society. There were 11 informants selected by purposive sampling. The
data was collected by observation, in-depth interviews and FGD. The research found that informants
were elementary school-senior high school students, aged 21-57 years, and came from the Rejang and
Serawai tribes, work as coffee plantation farmers, oil palm plantation cultivators and coal vehicle
drivers. Their income was IDR 150,000 up to IDR 275,000 per week. The family member were 4-6
person, most of them had semi-permanent and permanent houses, legacy from parent or rent. Diseases
often found were hypertension, rheumatic, malaria/typhoid, diabetes, dyspepsia, respiratory diseases,
dermatitis, and common cold. The research found that most of them supported the health empowerment
program, with various phenomena and meanings from informants. The poor in conserved forest areas
need health services through community empowerment in health sector.