Regina Felicia Hadiputri, a student of the Faculty of Medicine (FK) of Universitas Indonesia (UI) has won the title of Puteri Duta Kesehatan Indonesia 2024. This achievement was attained through the Anugerah Duta Kesehatan Indonesia (ADKI) 2024 event held by the Indonesian Health Ambassador Association on November 17, at the Usmar Ismail Hall, Jakarta. Regina went through a series of strict assessments, starting from advocacy assignments, community service, pre-quarantine, quarantine, Top 10 Advocacy Speech, and a question and answer session in the Top 5 round.
Regina said that her motivation for participating in this event was to make a real contribution to increasing health awareness and education for the Indonesian people. “As a medical student, I feel that I have a moral responsibility to empower the community with knowledge and resources. My motivation is also based on the belief that an ambassador is not just a symbolic representation, but an active agent of change. As I often say, you are what you do, not what you say you’ll do,” said Regina.
One of Regina’s main initiatives is the “Caring Hearts for Cerebral Palsy Families” program that she pioneered in 2021 when she was 14 years old. This program aims to help underprivileged families who have children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) in East Java, through medical services, social support, and community education to eliminate the stigma against CP.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. This disorder affects many individuals and families, but public understanding of CP is still very limited. Unlike more common and easily recognized diseases, CP is often considered foreign by many people, even though it is an important issue in Indonesia, both in terms of medical and social challenges.
The issue of CP was a topic raised by Regina in the Top 10 Advocacy Speech round. She highlighted the importance of early diagnosis, adequate medical care, and social support for families with children with CP. Official statistics on CP in Indonesia are still scarce, but globally, CP affects around 2-3 births per 1,000 live births. With a birth rate in Indonesia of around 4 million per year, an estimated 8,000 – 12,000 children are born with CP each year. However, limited data and minimal reporting make the true prevalence difficult to determine.
“In remote areas, the lack of health facilities and specialists means that many cases of CP go undiagnosed or do not receive adequate treatment. Public awareness of CP is also still low. Compared to other health campaigns, such as diabetes or stunting, CP has received less national attention. In fact, this campaign is important to encourage early diagnosis, effective treatment, and broader public understanding,” said Regina.
As the winner of the Puteri Duta Kesehatan Indonesia 2024, Regina is committed to continuing to develop the “Caring Hearts for Cerebral Palsy Families” program and expanding its advocacy. She also plans to utilize technology and social media to reach more people and spread relevant health education. “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my family, friends, sponsors, and various institutions that have provided support, assistance, and encouragement, I am very grateful.”
Regina hopes to continue to fight for inclusive health access, especially for vulnerable groups in remote areas or underprivileged families. In her capacity as a medical student, Regina is committed to becoming an educator and advocate who is able to increase public awareness of the importance of preventive and rehabilitative health services, especially Gen Z to utilize the potential to create change in the health sector.
The Dean of FKUI, Prof. Dr. dr. Ari Fahrial Syam, Sp.PD-KGEH., MMB, also appreciated Regina’s achievements. “Congratulations to Regina Felicia Hadiputri for her brilliant achievements. The achievements achieved show that FKUI students not only excel in academics, but also have deep social concerns. Hopefully, this will inspire other students to continue to work and bring positive impacts to society,” said Prof. Ari.
