LEMBAGA STUDI KESEHATAN (LESSAN)
Institute for Alternative Health Study
Is nonprofit organization which concern in people’s health.
Address:
Office: Jl. Kaliurang Km 9,5 Dusun Palgading RT 2/65 Sinduharjo Ngaglik Sleman Yogyakarta
Postal Address: Tromol Pos 5 Ngaglik Sleman Yogyakarta 55581 INDONESIA
Phone: (0274) 6533509
Email: lessan@indosat.net.id
Website: www.lessan.gq.nu
Background
The expensive health fee in Indonesia causes that many poor people could not afford their medical fee. Meanwhile the network among doctors, medicine factories (pharmacy industries), and hospitals is strong enough so that the people do not have any options except following the doctors’ advice that makes them to use certain medicine. To decrease their health bill to keep up their health, the people use chemical medicine that is free to consume and available in every store everywhere. They do not think the danger of the side effect of chemical medicine because of the influence of medicine’s advertisements in all media such as radio, TV, newspaper, and posters in the streets. Actually Indonesia still has its own medication system which is cheap and safe that is herbal medicine system but local knowledge about this herbal medicine is starting to disappear because the people have tendency to use chemical medicine. Because of that Lessan tries to return the people trust on herbal medicine system as one of the alternatives to solve their health problems cheaper and safer.
VISION
To make people in Indonesia healthy based on local wisdoms which put equity and conservation above all.
MISSIONS:
1. To return people’s trust to herbal medicine system.
2. To develop herbal medicine system which is anti monopoly.
3. To develop people’s critical awareness to health problems they face.
Activities
1. HERBAL MEDICINE SERVICE /CONSULTATION
Lessan and village health cadets have health service posts with herbal medicine for poor people and also give consultation for health problems. These posts also perform as ‘baby house’ which provides baby needs with barter system and develop how to treat pregnancy, after delivery care, and baby treatment with herbal medicine.
2. TRADITIONAL MEDICINE EDUCATIONS FOR POOR PEOPLE
For children
Education about Indonesian herbal medicine and herbal plants is held for children age 5-15 in outside schools and also cooperate with schools.
For farmers
Education for farmers is held through trainings, internships, discussion, and practices. This education is meant for the farmers and poor people without any charges.
Herbal plants nursery
Working together with the local people, Lessan cultivate herbal plants as a conservation of wild herbal plants which is endangered by modernization.
3. PUBLICATION
Lessan publishes books about herbal medicine, bulletins which are written by children and farmers, posters, calendars, T-shirts using how to save the environment as the theme.
4. ADVOCACY
Advocacy is done with assisted groups as an effort to protect local wisdoms, local people sovereignty in managing herbal plants in the forests, water, and other resources.
5. INCOME GENERATING
One of the variables to increase poor people’s health is increasing their economy. In this case Lessan facilitates the farmers to develop fair trade on herbal plants products and organic farming.
6. DISASTER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
As an organization in endanger area for earthquake and volcano explosion, Lessan develops disaster management program based on local wisdoms.