Indonesian Journal of Community Engagement
Vol. 2 No. 3 (2025): (September) Indonesian Journal of Community Engagement

Optimizing Maternal and Child Health Through Basic Care Training

Junaidi (Departemen of Nursing Poltekkes Kemenkes Makassar, Indonesia)
Ruslan Hasani (Departemen of Nursing Poltekkes Kemenkes Makassar, Indonesia)
Ambo Dalle (Departemen of Nursing Poltekkes Kemenkes Makassar, Indonesia)
Andi Ruhban (Department of Environmental Health Poltekkes Kemenkes Makassar, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
22 Nov 2025

Abstract

This community service program was implemented to improve community knowledge and skills regarding basic maternal and child care in Karunrung Village, Makassar City. Key issues identified included limited access to health education, low awareness of the importance of basic care, and urban environmental conditions that do not support optimal health practices. To address these issues, the program employed a participatory approach through community-based counseling, training, and mentoring involving health workers and pregnant women. Educational activities covered maternal and child nutrition, pregnancy danger signs, personal and environmental hygiene, and infectious disease prevention. Practical training was provided through demonstrations of basic care techniques, including handwashing and infant care practices. Evaluation using pre- and post-tests demonstrated significant improvements in all aspects of knowledge; all participants achieved a good knowledge category after the training. The evaluation design used a pre-post-intervention approach without a control group to directly assess changes in knowledge. In addition, the program increased the capacity of health workers through facilitator training and the establishment of a communication network connected to community health centers for ongoing mentoring. Overall, the program proved effective in optimizing knowledge and skills regarding basic maternal and child care in urban settings. The intervention also successfully strengthened the role of cadres as health education agents in the community and improved public health literacy in general. These findings support the importance of a community-based approach to improving maternal and child health, particularly in densely populated areas with limited access to information.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ijce

Publisher

Subject

Agriculture, Biological Sciences & Forestry Computer Science & IT Economics, Econometrics & Finance Education Social Sciences

Description

IJCE (Indonesian Journal of Community Engagement) is a scientific multidisciplinary journal published by PT. Altaf Publishing Corp. It is in the national level that covers a lot of common problems or issues related to community services. The aim of this journal publication is to disseminate the ...