Who are Kawan Sehat health agents? Let each village health worker introduce themselves.
Meet the village women and one man who keep primary care alive in their homes.
Health agents from rural Indonesia learning primary care during training days
Meet the Heart of Kawan Sehat
For years, we’ve discussed Kawan Sehat, Primary Medical Care programme, medical backpacks, gruelling motorbike journeys, and the thousands of patients treated in remote villages. But today, it’s time to meet the faces behind these efforts.
Kawan Sehat consists of a dedicated group of twenty village health agents, soon to be thirty. Most are women, with one man among them, serving as teachers, farmers, and community workers. Their mission is clear: to ensure that no one suffers alone with pain, fever, or fear. Trained in primary medical care, they use simple tools skillfully, identify danger signs, and document each case precisely.
Each month, they care for nearly one thousand people in the hills of East Sumba, where healthcare facilities are limited and sometimes inaccessible. They cleanse and dress wounds, manage malaria, support expectant mothers, and provide follow-up care for children. Through the Kawan Sehat mobile app, they stay in constant contact with our medical team for guidance and referrals, ensuring comprehensive care.
We invite you to visit our new page, where you can meet each of these extraordinary individuals through their portraits and short stories. This isn’t just a campaign; it’s a tribute to those who tirelessly keep this programme running, around the clock, with minimal resources, for everyone’s well-being.
Our foundation, Fair Future, in collaboration with Kawan Baik Indonesia, remains committed to improving healthcare access and education in these underserved communities. Thank you for them.
Today, the 14th of November 2025 – Alex Wettstein
In brief – Primary Medical Care in practice
Primary Medical Care operates as a long-term village system rather than a one-off effort. Kawan Sehat health agents manage common illnesses at home, follow straightforward protocols, and document each case using a mobile app. Our medical team regularly reviews this information, adjusts training and supplies accordingly, and arranges referrals to ensure continuous care every day, even when we’re not nearby.
Kawan Sehat health agents on the frontline
List of Related Organisations with Hyperlinks
- The World Health Organisation provides guidance on primary healthcare and supports community health workers serving poor communities.
- UNICEF works to improve child health, nutrition, and education, supporting families so children in impoverished regions grow up healthier.
- Last Mile Health trains and supports community health workers who deliver primary care to people living far from health facilities.
- Partners In Health strengthens health systems and promotes community-based care so rural patients receive respectful treatment.
- Doctors Without Borders delivers emergency and primary medical care through mobile teams in crises and remote regions.
- SolarBuddy supplies solar lights to children living in energy poverty, enabling them to study and move more safely after dark.
- Rotary International is a global volunteer network that supports projects in health, clean water, and education in local communities.
