The Rector of Hasanuddin University (UNHAS), Prof. Jamaluddin Jompa (colloquially known as Prof JJ), welcomed John Ellis, MD, FRCO, Ph.D. and Obaid Kousha, MD, FRCO, researchers from the University of St Andrews and the University of Dundee in Scotland on Tuesday 24th January 2023. The UNHAS Hospital Ophthalmology Department and Mr. Ellis have been collaborating for several years, but so far only on research and seminars. This year they plan to develop the collaboration to broaden areas.
The meeting, held in the Rector’s Office, was attended by a research team from the Ophthalmology and Internal Medicine Department of Hasanuddin University, as well as the Executive Director and the Education, Training, Research, and Human Resources Director of the UNHAS Hospital.
On this occasion, Prof. JJ highlighted the need for research collaboration with various universities to strengthen and deepen innovation, and the resulting products. He expressed his hope that this relationship can last a long time and provide benefits to UNHAS, St. Andrews University, and Dundee University.
“Hopefully, the research conducted will run well and provide benefits to the community. UNHAS is happy to provide the necessary support and assistance to optimize the research carried out,” explained Prof. JJ.
Researchers from St Andrews and UNHAS will focus on diabetes issues, as Indonesia is ranked 3rd in Southeast Asia for diabetes cases. Mr. Ellis and Mr. Kousha introduced cutting-edge technology that can detect diabetes or hypertension symptoms by observing the eyes. This device has been proven fit for use in the United Kingdom.
Furthermore, Dr. dr. Habibah, a researcher from the Ophthalmology Department, explained their current research collaboration with St Andrews. Up to now, they have only been scrutinizing diabetes patients at hospitals. It was found that more than 20% of patients never knew they had diabetes. For this reason, the research collaboration will expand from hospital-based research to pusat kesehatan masyarakat (puskesmas) or community health centre-based research. The puskesmas is the first place people go to when they are ill. Therefore, the puskesmas is an ideal place to explore the earliest stage of diabetes symptoms.
The collaborative research with the Department of Ophthalmology and the Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine has been implemented since 16th January. It will end on 5th February 2023.