The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) at Universitas Indonesia (UI) once again demonstrated its global engagement through active participation in a prestigious international conference. Professor Fatma Lestari, S.Si., M.Si., Ph.D., a Professor in the Department of Occupational Health and Safety at FPH UI, represented Indonesia as a speaker at a conference organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on May 5, 2025, in Switzerland.
Delivering a presentation titled “Innovation for Health and Safety at Work,” Prof. Fatma emphasized that Indonesia, as a rapidly developing country with a population of 284.44 million—making it the fourth most populous nation in the world—faces unique challenges in occupational health and safety. Of this population, approximately 208.54 million are part of the labor force, with 69% or around 144.64 million classified as active workers. “The sheer number of workers intensifies the complexity of occupational safety issues, requiring innovative approaches rooted in both technology and local culture,” Prof. Fatma explained.
The conference, themed “The Role of IP and Innovation in Addressing Global Public Health Challenges: Fostering Technological Transfer and Collaborations,” was held in a hybrid format from the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and via Zoom Meeting. It is part of WIPO’s Development Agenda and organized under the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP), which convenes biennially. The event was opened with a keynote speech by Mr. Hasan Kleib, Deputy Director General for the Regional and National Development Sector (RNDS) at WIPO. In addressing global public health challenges, WIPO brought together 19 international figures from various sectors who contributed to the opening dialogue and three main panel sessions.
As a speaker in Panel 3: Innovation for Health Safety at Work, Prof. Fatma highlighted the importance of partnerships and innovation in creating safe and resilient workplaces. She addressed pressing issues faced by workers, including the prevalence of counterfeit equipment, lack of safety training, and high exposure to workplace hazards. Alongside international experts such as Mr. Kurt Van Ruyskensvelde from Belgium and Ms. Joana Eva Dodoo from Ghana, Prof. Fatma stressed the need for integrating technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things (IoT) into risk and safety management systems. Her contributions underscored the value of interdisciplinary approaches in building sustainable occupational safety frameworks across industries.
“Universitas Indonesia is strongly committed to the advancement of knowledge, particularly in the areas of occupational safety, health, and disaster management,” said Prof. Fatma.
As part of strengthening safety systems in the health sector, Prof. Fatma introduced the Hospital Safety Index (HSI)—a checklist-based application developed by UI’s Disaster Risk Reduction Center (DRRC) to assess hospital preparedness for disasters. “With HSI, hospitals can conduct self-evaluations and systematically enhance their emergency response capacities,” she explained.
Prof. Fatma also presented several educational programs developed in Indonesia to empower workers, including Edurisk, a mobile application that offers interactive training in first aid, fire safety, and emergency response. Designed in local languages and equipped with gamification features, Edurisk aims to engage tech-savvy young workers. Community-based approaches have also been implemented by involving labor unions and local communities in organizing workshops and safety campaigns, particularly to reach micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across Indonesia. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are also actively used to disseminate safety information.
Prof. Fatma is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in safety and disaster mitigation. In addition to serving as Director of the Disaster Risk Reduction Center at UI, she is the Vice Chair of Indonesia’s National Occupational Safety and Health Council and Vice Chair of the Indonesian Society for Disaster Experts. She has authored more than 30 books, reflecting her dedication to advancing the fields of safety and disaster management, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prof. Fatma’s participation in this international forum further reinforces FPH UI’s position as an institution that excels not only in teaching and research, but also in driving global health policy and innovation. (DFD)