MAKASSAR – [Date of Publication on Faculty Website] – Amid global challenges such as extreme temperature increases, diminishing air quality, and ecosystem destabilization, the Faculty of Public Health (FKM) at Hasanuddin University (Unhas) steps up to assume a crucial role. In commemoration of its 43rd Dies Natalis (Anniversary), FKM Unhas successfully organized an International Guest Lecture focusing on the most pressing issue of this century: public health in a world grappling with the climate crisis.
This prestigious scientific event carried the provocative theme, “Public Health in a Climate-Changing World: Rethinking Risk Across Species and Scales,” and featured a prominent expert in health anthropology from Europe, Prof. dr. E.M. (Eileen) Moyer from the Department of Anthropology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
This cross-continental forum transcended mere knowledge transfer, transforming into a stage for strategic dialogue that demands the academic community re-examine the foundations of public health within the context of fragile and interconnected ecosystems.
Affirming Commitment to Scientific Collaboration Amidst a Global Emergency
The event was officially and enthusiastically opened by the faculty leadership. Prof. Dr. Atjo Wahyu, S.KM., M.Kes., along with Prof. Anwar Mallongi, S.KM., M.Sc.PH., Ph.D., affirmed that the health paradigm has now shifted and can no longer be viewed in isolation from environmental conditions.
“The climate crisis is a health crisis. We can no longer focus solely on individuals. This complex global challenge demands interdisciplinary and international collaboration to understand and resolve the issues,” asserted Prof. Atjo Wahyu, whose remarks were warmly received by the attendees, including lecturers, postgraduate students, and researchers.
Strengthening international networking was one of the main focuses of this year’s Dies Natalis event. Dr. Dian Sidik Arsyad, S.KM., M.KM., Ph.D., Head of the Department of Epidemiology at FKM Unhas and an alumnus of a Dutch university, emphasized the importance of such initiatives.
“This academic forum is a golden moment to strengthen the scientific network between Unhas, as a representative of the Global South, and leading universities in Europe,” said Dr. Dian. “Impactful global research begins with equal cross-cultural dialogue. FKM Unhas is strategically positioned and ready to be a knowledge bridge connecting the South and the North in addressing the challenges to planetary health.”
The presence of Prof. Moyer from the University of Amsterdam, one of the world’s best research institutions, is tangible proof of FKM Unhas’s commitment to always being at the forefront of the global health discourse and facilitating the exchange of best ideas for the academic community in Eastern Indonesia.
Reading Climate Symptoms: Anthropology and the Diagnosis of Planetary Health
The core session of the Guest Lecture was interactive, lasting 90 minutes and moderated by Basir, S.KM., M.Sc. from the Department of Environmental Health. Prof. Moyer presented a deep anthropological perspective on the correlation between Climate Change, disease patterns, and human behavioral adaptation.
According to her, the climate crisis is not merely a natural disaster or a technical environmental problem, but a “social disease” that starkly reveals how dominant economic systems, cultural structures, and natural ecology overlap and influence one another.
“To rethink public health in a climate-changing world means to recognize that human wellbeing is deeply intertwined with the health of ecosystems and other species,” explained Prof. Moyer. She urged that rethinking public health means acknowledging that human welfare is intricately linked to the health of ecosystems and other species.
Through a multi-species approach, Prof. Moyer invited participants to broaden their scope of understanding: health should no longer be solely measured by the status of the human body, but must be understood from the entire web of life—encompassing the quality of the water we drink, the air we breathe, the fertility of the soil, and the condition of other living beings that share our space on Earth. This perspective is highly relevant in the context of Indonesia, which is rich in biodiversity yet vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis.
From the Campus Laboratory to Community Reality: Addressing Local Threats
The dialogue and Q&A session became highly dynamic as FKM Unhas lecturers and students shared empirical findings and direct field observations.
Indonesia, particularly South Sulawesi, is highly vulnerable to environmentally-based diseases triggered by climate change, such as:
- Increased Incidence of Vector-Borne Diseases: Cases of dengue fever (DHF) and malaria show an increasing trend in line with extreme temperatures and changing rainfall patterns that support vector breeding.
- Skin Infections and Diarrhea: Rising temperatures and a decline in clean water quality due to hydro-meteorological disasters (floods or droughts) are triggering a surge in cases of diarrhea and skin infections in communities.
An equally critical environmental issue raised by the participants was plastic waste. It was highlighted that microplastic contamination has now become a hidden health threat, polluting drinking water, the air we breathe, and even the seafood food chain.
The participants, comprising academics from the Departments of Environmental Health, Epidemiology, and Health Policy Administration, called for three strategic actions:
- Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research: To accurately map the risks and impacts of microplastics in coastal areas.
- Firm Policies: To reduce dependence on single-use plastics at the campus and city level.
- Holistic Environmental Education: To strengthen awareness and environmentally friendly behavior in schools and various community layers.
Revisiting the Vision of Science and Academic Leadership
Concluding the session, the Dean of FKM Unhas, Prof. Sukri Palutturi, S.KM., M.Kes., MSc.PH., Ph.D., provided an affirmation that serves as a moral reflection on the role of the university.
“This international guest lecture is not merely a routine transfer of knowledge. It is a moral and ethical reflection of the university on global humanitarian issues,” said Prof. Sukri. “Public health is not just a laboratory matter; it is a matter of the Earth and our collective conscience. We need to shift our perspective and begin to see health as a form of ecological justice.”
The conclusion of this forum was unanimous: the future of public health highly depends on humanity’s ability to build ecological solidarity—a fundamental awareness that the survival of human civilization cannot be separated from the maintenance of nature’s balance.
Through the successful organization of this International Guest Lecture, FKM Unhas once again asserts its position as a strategic and relevant center for public health thought in the Southeast Asian region. This academic forum has not only successfully expanded scientific and research networks but has also enriched the collective awareness that science, ethics, and the environment must unite in one single vision: Protecting Life.
From the campus located in Eastern Indonesia, FKM Unhas has sent a scientific echo resonating as far as Amsterdam and the global academic community, bringing a new perspective on planetary health: the health of humanity relies on the health of the Earth.