Discovering a New Health Paradigm: Faculty of Public Health UNHAS Hosts Prof. Marc Bruijnzeels
On October 6, 2025, the Faculty of Public Health at Hasanuddin University (FKM UNHAS) welcomed Prof. Dr. Marc Bruijnzeels from Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands, for an international guest lecture titled “Population Health Management: The Solution for the Challenges in Healthcare”.
Held in the Prof. Nur Nasry Noor Room (K-225) and attended by students and faculty, the event offered fresh insights into global health systems. FKM UNHAS Dean Prof. Sukri Palutturi, in His welcome remark, emphasized the importance of international collaboration in strengthening academic capacity and driving innovation. Moderated by Dr. Ansariadi, the session was interactive, with students raising critical questions about health system reform.
Prof. Marc highlighted key challenges—limited resources, fragmented systems, and underutilized technology—and called for a shift toward proactive, community-based care. He shared data showing that the health system is only a small part of the overall health ecosystem, its impact on public health is only about 20%. The rest is influenced by health behaviour (30%), the physical environment (10%), and socioeconomic factors (40%). This underscores the need for a people-centered, data-driven as well and proactive approach.
Prof. Marc also discussed the global move from volume-based to value-based healthcare. In this approach, the measure of success is no longer the number of medical services provided, but rather the quality of life and health outcomes achieved by patients.
He emphasized that this kind of transformation requires courage and innovation in thinking and acting. On a reflective note, he closed his presentation with a sentence that left a lasting impression on the participants: “If it did not work 10 times, there is no need for an 11th time — you need a new approach.” This sentence seemed to be a moral message for the academic world and health practitioners: don’t be afraid to try new approaches, because change does not come from repetition, but from the courage to experiment. He closed with a powerful message: “If it didn’t work 10 times, there’s no need for an 11th—you need a new approach.”
The lecture reinforced FKM UNHAS’ commitment to global academic engagement and its role in shaping Indonesia’s health system. It also aligned with national efforts to reform primary care and promote preventive health strategies.
For many students, it was a rare opportunity to engage directly with a world-class academic. For faculty, it offered a moment of reflection on the relevance of research and practice. More than an academic forum, the lecture bridged knowledge and empathy—two pillars central to UNHAS’s vision of building a healthy, empowered, and just society.
