Lebak, Banten — Hundreds of members of the Baduy community in Kanekes Village, Leuwidamar District, Lebak Regency, enthusiastically participated in a free health screening organized by the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Trisakti (Usakti), and the School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), on Friday, August 8, 2025. This activity was part of the International Community Service Program (PKM Internasional) involving medical students from both countries.

The services provided focused on early detection and disease prevention, including blood sugar and cholesterol checks, nutritional assessments, and child growth and development monitoring. Although many Baduy residents still rely on traditional medicine due to limited access to healthcare facilities, awareness of the importance of medical check-ups was found to be encouraging.

Kanekes Village Head, Jaro Oom, explained that the nearest health facility is the Cisimeut Community Health Center (Puskesmas), which is staffed by only one general practitioner and lacks inpatient facilities. Communication barriers also remain a challenge, as most residents speak only Sundanese and are illiterate, requiring visual aids during examinations.

Medical students from FK Usakti and USM expressed that the program was a valuable learning experience, preparing them to face real challenges in the field. They also hoped that such collaborations would continue, fostering knowledge exchange and enhancing expertise in healthcare.