Kun Arifi Abbas Sets Out to Transform Critical Care in Indonesia
Kun Arifi Abbas recently held his ISP seminar, outlining his upcoming doctoral research on improving emergency and critical care in East Java, Indonesia. Inspired by his daily work on the frontlines, Abbas aims to identify challenges, propose solutions, and enhance healthcare quality at both hospital and national levels.
Congratulations on a successful ISP seminar! Could you start by telling us a bit about yourself and your academic background?
I am an anesthesiologist, perfusionist and intensivist at Dr. Soetomo Academic General Hospital Surabaya Indonesia. Having graduated medical school, anesthesiology and intensive care at Universitas Airlangga Surabaya. I am staff of Anesthesiology and Reanimation Department at the Faculty of Medicine Universitas Airlangga – Dr. Soetomo Academic General Hospital. I work at operating theatres, intensive care units, and resuscitation room at the emergency room on daily basis. Now I am currently serving as the chairman of the emergency, intensive, and invasive care workgroup at the medical care sector of Dr. Soetomo Academic General Hospital Surabaya Indonesia.
What will be the main focus of your doctoral research, and what inspired you to pursue this area?
My main focus of my research is exploring emergency and critical care in East Java Indonesia. This research project was inspired by my daily work experience in emergency and critical care, where I am required to handle these cases. I am motivated to make a positive impact and enhance the quality of emergency and critical care provision. Additionally, I hope this research will shed light on the burden associated with emergency and critical care and identify alternative solutions to improve these services at hospital levels, and potentially on a regional and national scale. This research is expected to yield positive outcomes for patients, the health economic impact and improvement on healthcare system in East Java and Indonesia, particularly in the realm of emergency and critical care.
"I envision my research improving critical care and reducing preventable deaths in Indonesia"
What do you personally hope to accomplish through your research?
I am hopeful that my research will serve as alternative solutions to address the challenges and alleviate the burden of emergency and critical care provision, particularly in Indonesia. I envision my research having a positive impact on enhancing the quality of emergency and critical care, particularly in middle-income countries like Indonesia, thereby reducing preventable deaths and morbidity associated with critical illnesses. Additionally, I am hopeful that my research will provide stakeholders of healthcare facilities with data on the health-economic aspects of emergency and critical care, enabling them to guide future policies and ensure the provision of high-quality and cost-effective emergency and critical care services for patients.
Kun Arifi Abba's main supervisor is Professor Tobias Alfvén.
Co-supervisors are:
Bambang Pujo Semedi, PhD, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga
Carl Otto Schell, PhD, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet
Mattias Schedwin, PhD, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet
Birger Forsberg, Associate Professor, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet
Reviewer at the ISP seminar was Associate Professor Martin Gerdin, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet