Islamic-based Organization in Indonesia: Role of Muhammadiyah in

Health Improvement

Emma Rachmawati

Study Program of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. HAMKA, South

Jakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Muhammadiyah, Health Service, Community Empowerment.

Abstract: Faith-based organizations (FBOs) or religious groups have provided healthcare in developing countries for

over a century. This paper focused on the role of Muhammadiyah, which was established in the early 20th

century, as an Indonesian Islamic group through its consistent reform movement for community

empowerment of the Indonesian people. Since the beginning of its establishment, Muhammadiyah is

consistent with and has paid much attention to the importance of education and health service to improve the

quality of life of the Indonesian people. The health services are not only for the members of Muhammadiyah

or Muslim people but also for all the people of the country and the world, the global health in the international

network. The importance of this study lies in the existence of Muhammadiyah as a faith-based organization

which plays some roles of the state responsibility in the health aspect, that is to make healthier people.

1 INTRODUCTION

The Existence of a Religious Group to

Promote Health

The social determinants of health framework are the

current dominant paradigm in public health and

epidemiology. Religion is a vital aspect of human

experience and should be included as a Social

Determinant of Health. (Idler, Blevins, Kiser, &

Hogue, 2017). Faith is generally a dominant force in

the lives of individuals and communities worldwide.

For centuries, faith-based organizations (FBOs) or

religious group have played a significant role in the

national and global effort to promote health and well-

being, especially among the poor. Owing to

insufficient local resources, FBOs initially

concentrated on building hospitals and clinics, as well

as training healthcare workers to improve their

capability and access to affordable health services.

The scope of FBO-run activities has developed over

time and FBOs are now considered essential

providers of health care, particularly in low-resource

settings. The World Development Report called for

the greater use of nongovernmental organizations

(NGOs), particularly FBOs, to improve service

quality and fill the existing gaps in healthcare services

(Widmer, Betran, Merialdi, Requejo, & Karpf, 2011).

FBOs work daily to better the world and their

communities by taking care of those in need. They

play an enormous role in providing health

information and health care all over the world, for

example, FBO hospitals and clinics are often the most

respected and trusted health care providers in

communities of all sizes (Banda, Ombaka, Logez, &

Everard, 2006). The religious groups are no doubt as

significant players in the delivery of healthcare,

particularly in rural or hard-to-reach areas that are not

adequately served by the government.

Muhammadiyah is one of the religious groups

initiated by the educated Indonesian people,

established to uphold and reverse Islam in order to

realize the real Islamic society. (Elhady, 2017).

Muhammadiyah efforts in health aspect are

implemented in the form of charity and services,

program, and activities. It has been mentioned in

Muhammadiyah bylaws article 3(g) Increasing health

quality and public welfare (Muhammadiyah, 2007).

Muhammadiyah organization was chosen as the

subject matter of this paper due to its reformist

orientation since its establishment in Indonesia. This

organization is responsive to health problems. Its

programs and facilities in health are well-known as

charitable efforts. Since it is a religious organization,

its religious law tends to predominate in its healthcare

Rachmawati, E.

Islamic-based Organization in Indonesia: Role of Muhammadiyah in Health Improvement.

DOI: 10.5220/0008378000440051

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Social Determinants of Health (ICSDH 2018), pages 44-51

ISBN: 978-989-758-362-9

delivery in the community. Muhammadiyah has

several health services facilities that include hundreds

of clinics and hospitals in many parts of Indonesia. It

also has some autonomous organizations such as the

Women’s League (Ind. ‘Aisiyah), the Association of

Muhammadiyah Students, Muhammadiyah Youth,

the Young Women’s League, which conducting

activities with their objectives. Those autonomous

involve themselves in many health programs without

leaving their religious principles. Muhammadiyah

also has many experiences with overseas funding

organization in the health program, which can be

shared with other Islamic organization (BKKBN,

2002). The existence of Muhammadiyah charity

business continues to grow to date and the

commitment of its cadres in various geographical

regions of Indonesia, both in rural and urban areas,

makes this organization play a significant role in the

community, especially in the fields of education and

health.

The Establishment of Muhammadiyah

Muhammadiyah is the oldest and a reformist socio-

religious organization in Indonesia. It was established

in 1912 by Kyai Haji Ahmad Dahlan in the city

of Jogjakarta. Reformist means that Muhammadiyah

aims to adopt a modern Islām to Indonesian life, by

making them free of superstition and syncretism.

Now, records prove that Muhammadiyah has more

than 29 million members all over Indonesia and

abroad. It is usually said that Muhammadiyah is the

second largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, just

behind its rival Nahdatul ‘Ulama (BKKBN, 2002).

In a way that has exceeded this century,

Muhammadiyah has been proven to provide a

powerful influence on the social and theological

reform during people's lives through the development

of Islamic theology and education and social welfare

(Elhady, 2017). Since the beginning, Muhammadiyah

and its affiliated women's organization, ‘Aisyiyah,

though technically autonomous, have been

collaborating on education, charity, healthcare, and

many forms of social affairs throughout Indonesia

and abroad, by building many schools and

universities, as well as hospitals and clinics. By the

end of 2014, it was reported that there are 176

universities, 14,346 kindergartens, 2,604 elementary

schools, 1,772 secondary schools, 1,143 high schools,

102 Islamic boarding school (pesantren), and 15

schools for students with special needs. There are

currently 457 hospitals and clinics, 421 orphanages,

54 nursing houses. In need of tablīgh (to reach out the

message), there are 6,270 mosques and 5,689 prayer

houses. The economic department has 437 banks

(BMT or Baitul Mal wa Tanwil) 762 credit unions

(BPRS, Bank Perkreditan Rakyat Syariah), and 25

publishing houses. All of the numbers attest to the

Muhammadiyah’s great contributions for the

enlightenment and wellbeing of the nation and of the

gradual improvement abroad (Ali, 2015).

The Scope of Muhammadiyah's Role in

the Health Sector

The Ideology and Movement:

The Implementation of Tawhidi

Principle (the Theology of Al-

Ma’uun)

The existence of Muhammadiyah business charity in

the field of health is based on the Muhammadiyah

Citizens' Islamic Life Guidelines (PHIWM). The

Muhammadiyah charity effort in the field of health is

part of the Muhammadiyah charity that functions as a

media of da'wah (issuing a summons), as the end of

the preaching of the Amar ma'ruf nahi munkar

(commanding the good and forbidding the evil) and

tajdid (renewal) originating from the Qur'an and As-

Sunnah (all the traditions and practices of the

Prophet) (Chapter II Article 2. The Identity of

PHIWM). And also especially the excellence,

trustworthiness, honesty, professionalism, mission

orientation, general welfare, reliability, impartiality,

and obedience to the realization of increasing public

health in achieving goals and the intention of the

affiliation is "enforcing and upholding the religion of

Islam so that the true Islamic community is realized’

(Chapter III. Articles 4 and 5: Principles and

Objectives of PHIWM) (MPKU, 2018).

The idea of fastabiqul khairat (competition in

goodness) also deeply inspired Muhammadiyah’s

activities through the establishment of massive

numbers of M/A’s schools and clinics, which is the

main focus of the organization as well as their quality

and thus continued improvement. The spirit of

“enlightened Islam” (“Islam Berkemajuan”) becomes

a guideline for Muhammadiyah elements to be more

proactive and responsive as well as providing

solutions to current problems. To this end,

Muhammadiyah needs modern and responsive

management, led by strong and capable leaders along

with a strong vision for the future. Otherwise, the

notion of its progressive Islam will be a mere tagline

rather than concrete action. One of the preferences of

“Islam Berkemajuan” (Enlightened Islam) in health

aspect means that there should be an

institutionalization of charity aimed to solve the

Islamic-based Organization in Indonesia: Role of Muhammadiyah in Health Improvement

problems in the present and future, based on the

scripture and Hadith/Sunnah. For instance, the

establishment of hospitals and other health facilities

are part of the practice of Surah Al-Ma’un. Thus,

Muhammadiyah should be well-prepared to

overcome current health problems and benefit the

most from today’s global health issues. The rapid

development of information and technology also

provide tools for Muhammadiyah to contribute

through innovations and creativity for Indonesia's

health sector development.

One of the centers of excellence promoted by

Muhammadiyah is the Al Ma'un-based health service

movement. The spirit of this health service is the

embodiment of the spirit of KH Ahmad Dahlan

(founder of Muhammadiyah) together with H.

Muhammad Syoedja 'in pioneering the first

indigenous "hospital" in Indonesia that was called the

PKO (Penolong Kesengsaraan Oemoem/ Public

Suffering Helper). Polyclinic PKO was born in

Jagang Notoprajan village, Yogyakarta on February

15, 1923, with the intention of providing health

services for the poor, which around the era of the

1980s the name PKO changed to PKU (Community

Health Counselor) (MPKU, 2018). The mission of

PKO at that time was to care for the sick Muslims

according to the lessons of the Qur'an and the Sunnah

of the Prophet. The thing that was done was to

distribute "jariyah" to the sick. At Muhammadiyah's

first hospital, Kyai Haji Ahmad Dahlan (the founder

of Muhammadiyah) himself asked for the assistance

of a Catholic physician since the Muslim community

at the time had no doctor (Samsudin, Kusnadi, Dunda,

& Rais, 2017b). This example showed the openness

and cooperation of the Muhammadiyah’s leaders in

social matters of egalitarianism and self-confidence

to promote ideas and beliefs.

a. Health Services Delivery

Currently, Muhammadiyah has 105 hospitals with

8082 beds spread throughout Indonesia: over 17

provinces and 305 clinics (Samsudin, Kusnadi,

Dunda, & Rais, 2017a). The management of the

hospitals and clinics is initiated and managed by

Muhammadiyah or ‘Aisyiyah, starting from the

central leadership, regional leaders, regional leaders,

branch managers, and even branches. They are stand-

alone, and some are valid as a group. Necessarily, all

of those hospitals and clinics are health business

charities belonging to Muhammadiyah for da'wah

and tajdid missions. The Chairman of the MPKU

(General Health Advisory Council) Muhammadiyah;

Mr. Agus Samsudin said that the estimates of total

income range from Rp. 5-6 trillion per year,

contributing to health solutions in Indonesia by five

percent. While among non-profit private companies,

the figure is 15 percent, while the private sector is 10

percent. The number of MPKU clinics compared to

primary health care is undoubtedly far behind, less

than two percent. He also said that it is not evenly

distributed geographically and to date, there are at

least ten regions that do not have hospitals.

There are at a minimum of four challenges

currently faced by the Muhammadiyah hospital. The

main challenge is the national health insurance

system with all its rules and implications. Based on

the data in January-August 2017, BPJS receivable

accumulation amounted to 53 billion Rupiahs to

Muhammadiyah/‘Aisyiyah Hospital Network in East

Java. Besides, there were 32 hospitals in Central Java

with a total of 300 billion Rupiahs in arrears. BPJS

stands for “Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial” or

Social Insurance Administration Organization. BPJS

administers the Indonesian Health Insurance or JKN

for short. Currently, the ratio of patients in each

Muhammadiyah Hospital is on average 30 percent of

general patients and 70 percent of BPJS patients. If

the receivables from the third parties are too high, this

disrupts the hospital's short-term obligations. For

example, payment of doctor’s services, medicines

and medical devices, employee salaries, etc., that

would be worrying for the liquidity of

Muhammadiyah /'Aisyiyah Hospital.

Other challenges are the increasingly high

competition; the need to increase the internal capacity

of Muhammadiyah; and accreditation and fulfillment

of various rules set by the government’s good

governance.

The MPKU has “built 1000 clinical” program so

that health services are more evenly distributed,

especially for remote and outermost areas. This

movement targets that by 2020 Muhammadiyah will

have more than 1000 Pratama Clinics in partnership

with BPJS as FKTP (Fasilitas Kesehatan Tingkat

Pertama or First Level Health Facilities) throughout

Indonesia. This movement is a cross-assembly

program in Muhammadiyah. One of the solutions

offered by Muhammadiyah in facing the problem in

areas as far away from such as Papua, West Nusa

Tenggara is to encourage specialist doctors to practice

in the remote regions. Muhammadiyah Hospital and

the Faculty of Medicine of Muhammadiyah provide

scholarships to medical students to work in

Muhammadiyah Hospital and remote areas.

ICSDH 2018 - International Conference on Social Determinants of Health

b. Sister Hospital Movement

(Network of Hospitals - Clinics -

Faculty of Medicine/Health)

Sister Hospital movement is motivated by mostly

Muhammadiyah primary care clinics that fail to grow

due to, among others, internal mismanagement, the

absence of permanent doctors, and weak or

nonexistent networking with the fellow

Medical/Health Faculty. It is hoped that the Sister

Hospital Movement and the Doctor Returning to

Muhammadiyah can develop into a Primary Clinic.

Some of the graduates of health workers from

Muhammadiyah or ‘Aisyiyah Higher Education

Institutions, reaching 720 doctors per year, thousands

of nurses and midwives, hundreds of pharmacists, and

supported by 86 hospitals and hundreds of primary

care clinics should actively support the formation of

Muhammadiyah-inspired health services.

Unfortunately, many health workers graduating from

the Muhammadiyah Higher Education (PTM) did not

return to Muhammadiyah and caused the

Muhammadiyah Health Facilities cannot fulfill the

standard requirement of the health workers and thus

recruiting other college graduates. Therefore,

Muhammadiyah is now providing scholarships for

prospective doctors who want to return to dedicate

themselves to the Muhammadiyah Healthcare

Enterprises (AUK). This scholarship is given to

professional students while taking co-ass education,

provided that scholarship recipients must serve "n"

years to complete co-education.

c. The Academic Hospital (The

Academic Health Centre/AHC)

The Academic Health Centre or AHC is a functional

organization that combines the functions of

education, research functions, and the function of

health services from various health institutions.

Public hospitals used as educational vehicles are

termed "Teaching Hospital" which can be defined as

a government or private hospital in cooperation with

a government college or private college that interprets

its Faculty of Medicine into collaboration.

Today, Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisiyah own several

hundred non-profit medical clinics and hospitals

across Indonesia, but they were not yet prepared to

become a hospital/ clinic education network. Even

though they are ready to become an educational

clinic, but not all policies can be fulfilled. Even

though the concept of AHC is very suitable to be

applied in Muhammadiyah, it is still not applicable in

Muhammadiyah because of minimum socialization.

Not many know about the concept of the Academic

Health Centre (Dikaningrum & Listiowati, 2017).

d. The Floating Clinic “Said

Tuhuleley” LazisMu

The floating clinic 'Said Tuhuleley' was the first clinic

initiated by the LazisMu (the Muhammadiyah’s

Institute of alms (zakat) and charity (shadaqah) and

donation. The floating clinic named “Said Tuhuleley”

was built as an attempt from Muhammadiyah to make

the healthcare accessible for the poor in remote

islands, like in Eastern Indonesia. Said Tuhuleley was

from Saparua, Maluku Island, and known as 'fighter

of the marginal' in Muhammadiyah. He was

persistent in running various programs to improve the

welfare of the poor. The floating clinic would provide

solutions to health problems in Maluku (Moluccas

Island) and also as a part of the implementation of

LazisMu's programs in 3T (Outermost, Leading, Left)

areas. It operates to provide free health services to

the residents at the coastal or islands in Maluku.

According to geographical conditions, Maluku has

many small and remote islands. Hopefully, the

procurement of Floating Clinic will be very helpful

for people in the remote area in getting services, not

only in terms of health but also of education.

The floating clinic 'Said Tuhuleley' was designed

on a vessel with an overall length of 15 meters and a

width of 3.50 meters. The ship is equipped with

medical room facilities and examination room to

provide health services that had been unreachable in

Maluku, a province with the lowest number of health

workers, only one percent of the health workers in

Indonesia (based on data from the Health Ministry in

2014). The floating clinic was inaugurated by

Indonesian President, coinciding with the session of

Muhammadiyah Tanwir (national meeting) on

February 24, 2017. The making of floating clinic

'Said Tuhuleley' costs about 2 billion Rupiah and the

funds were obtained from the people who have

entrusted their donations to LazisMu. LazisMu

operates 6 (six) floating clinics under “Said

Tuhuleley” Management. The idea of establishing a

floating clinic will also be for the society in Sikka,

Nusa Tenggara Timor (NTT) because six main islands

in NTT lacked health facilities.

Islamic-based Organization in Indonesia: Role of Muhammadiyah in Health Improvement

Community Empowerment for Public

Health Problems

a. Specific Public Health Issues

Program

Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiah, in addition to

establishing its charity business in the form of health

clinics spread across various regions in Indonesia,

also held several programs to improve empowerment

and quality of public health. The health movement

developed has a focus on women, infants, and

children. Besides, it concerns about reproductive

health and family planning based on health and

community services. The movement includes

increasing the efforts to reduce maternal mortality

through various activities and to reduce infant and

under-five mortality with priority programs, such as

family planning, immunization, exclusive

breastfeeding, initiation of early breastfeeding,

balanced nutrition, and child development. Further,

since 2010, Muhammadiyah has been actively

involved in international networks on reproductive

health and family planning, namely the “Faith to

Action Network” which is based in Kenya Africa.

Muhammadiyah is one of the founders of the

network.

One of the excellent programs in the health sector

currently run by ‘Aisyiah is the TB Care ‘Aisyiah

Community. According to ‘Aisiyah Report of this TB

program, this activity is a community-based

Tuberculosis prevention program that is part of the

Health Assembly program ‘Aisyiah under the

leadership of the Central Board of ‘Aisyiah. Through

this program, ‘Aisyiah takes part in the development

of human health in Indonesia and the achievement of

the MDG targets no. 6, which is a decrease in the rate

of spread of infectious diseases. The ‘Aisyiah TB

Care Community Program began in 2002 which at

that time was serving as the implementing unit of the

Principal Recipient (PR) of the Global Fund donor

organization with the Ministry of Health as the

primary recipient. This program was carried out in 31

provinces of the ‘Aisyiah region. In 2005, ‘Aisyiah

and the government, in this case, the Ministry of

Health received funding from the Global Fund. The

government serves in improving health facilities,

while ’Aisyiah focuses on supporting the community.

This program once covered 33 provinces, but

currently only 25 provinces that cover 160 districts,

and cities.

In the initial stage, its activities included advocacy

to policymakers in the Muhammadiyah-ʻAisyiah

leadership; advocacy for related parties in the

program to control TB, and DOTS training for health

workers in the Muhammadiyah-‘Aisyiah health

business. In its development, the activities of the

program became more specific by expanding the

advocacy network through training for preachers and

cadres to strengthen ‘Aisyiah health cadres at the

village level. In this phase, the activity focuses on

achieving targets and providing new experiences for

‘Aisyiah-Muhammadiyah as a faith-based

organization, through Community cadre training and

preachers on TB disease control. Cadres who have

been equipped with sufficient knowledge, theory, and

practice then spread in all sub-districts and directly

involved in the community to conduct socialization,

screening the findings.

Since 2009, Aisyiah has been chosen as a Global

Fund partner as the principal recipient of the funds

(Principal Recipient / PR) representing the

community groups. The program is called

Community TB Care ‘Aisyiah. On this occasion

Aisyiah coordinated 23 recipients of secondary funds

(SR) involving 16 PW (Regional Leader)’Aisyiah,

and six other NGO partners. In the 2014-2016 period,

‘Aisyiah was trusted to be the primary donor-

recipient (PR) through the program which operated in

12 provinces in 48 districts and partnered with several

NGOs as recipients of secondary funds (SR). The

themes raised in this program are” the Al-Ma'un

Spirit and the Synergy of the TB-HIV Program

Towards Progressing and TB-Free Indonesian

Communities.” Since 2016, with the new funding

scheme, ‘Aisyiah became a Global Fund partner in

Indonesia in the prevention of TB and HIV

representing CSOs. With the program, in 2016

‘Aisyiah managed the programs that spread across 18

provinces, 75 districts in charge of all CSO activities.

As for 2017, this program was implemented in 25

provinces in 75 districts. By the program, with the

new funding scheme, ‘Aisyiah not only focuses on

TB prevention and MDR TB, but also mentors TB

HIV. To date, the program is developing into

‘Aisiyyah Community for TB-HIV Care.

Muhammadiyah also providing services for people

living with HIV / AIDS also for their families or

friends (Hamid, 2017).

a. Tobacco Control

The Central Board of Muhammadiyah through Majlis

Tarjih and Tajdid has issued a fatwa against smoking.

After examining the benefits and disadvantages of

cigarettes, Majlis Tarjih and Tajdid Muhammadiyah

concluded that smoking is included in the category of

Haram. This fatwa was taken after listening to various

ICSDH 2018 - International Conference on Social Determinants of Health

parties about the dangers of smoking to health and the

economy. Besides, Muhammadiyah also conducted a

legal smoking review. Based on the meeting of the

Majlis Tarjih and Tajdid, finally, it was issued that

smoking was unlawful (Haram) through the Fatwa of

the Majelis Tarjih and Tajdid Muhammadiyah

Central Leader No. 6 / Sm / Mtt / Iii / 2010 concerning

the Law of Smoking. This new fatwa amended the

previous fatwa (in 2007) which stated that smoking is

“Mubah”. Changes to the fatwa become legitimate as

a decision that will bring benefits by considering the

many negative effects of exposure to cigarette smoke.

In one of the options, it was advised to those who have

not smoked to be obliged to avoid smoking. For those

who have smoked, they must try to stop smoking. The

fatwa contains binding instructions to all levels of

organization as well as charitable business

institutions, such as schools, universities, hospitals,

mosques, and various Muhammadiyah facilities

throughout Indonesia.

Muhammadiyah also established the

Muhammadiyah Tobacco Control Centre (MTCC) in

2011. Based on the information of its profile in the

MTCC’s website, MTCC is an institution under the

University of Muhammadiyah that works towards

creating and increasing awareness and willingness of

the people of Indonesia to organize themselves in the

efforts to reduce the impacts of smoking. The efforts

include conducting research and sharing the research

results with the Indonesians and other relevant

institutions, holding campaigns against tobacco,

supporting government policies and institutions that

work against smoking, and spreading anti-smoking

messages to the Indonesians through any possible

means. As of now, the Institution has five full-time

researchers based in five different locations,

including Yogyakarta, Purwokerto, Magelang,

Surabaya, and Mataram,

Since its establishment in 2011, the institution’s

main source of funds has been the University of

Muhammadiyah. In 2014 it started receiving grants

from the John Hopkins School of Public Health for

supporting the MTCC’s research activities and

expanding research by providing more training to its

staff and providing more tools and equipment that are

used for the research. Currently, the MTCC reaches

out to the Indonesians through many means, such as

public campaigns and programs, social media posts,

public lectures, media release, public shows,

seminars, counseling sessions, publications, publicly

displayed designs, and various design to pass various

messages and warn about smoking.

b. Health Promoting Hospital/HPH

(Promosi Kesehatan di Rumah Sakit

/PKRS)

The Central Board of Muhammadiyah has

collaborated with the Directorate of Health

Promotion and Community Empowerment Ministry

of Health Republic of Indonesia this year (2018) in

the implementation of health promotion activities in

various Muhammadiyah 'Aisiyah (RSMA) hospitals

and the target areas of the RSMA in various corners

in Indonesia. At the beginning of the year, the

implementation was more focused on the

implementation of Clean and Healthy Life Behavior

(Perilaku Hidup Bersih dan Sehat/PHBS) and the

establishment of the Alert Village (Desa Siaga) in the

area built by Muhammadiyah Hospital.

In 2016, MPKU PP Muhammadiyah implemented

the PKRS program in the form of development in two

Muhammadiyah hospitals. They were Siti Khadijah

Hospital in Sidoarjo, East Java and Siti Khodijah I

Hospital Makassar, South Sulawesi. The program

aims to strengthen the implementation of PKRS in

Healthy RSM and Families in each of the Guided

Villages that were not covered in 2014. The health

theme followed the national priority program called

the Movement for Healthy Living Society (Gerakan

Masyarakat Sehat/Germas) and the Health Program

with a Family Approach. In 2017, the collaboration

between MPKU Muhammadiyah and the Directorate

of Health Promotion and Community Empowerment

was aimed at following up the development of the

PKRS conducted the previous year. The activity was

aimed at increasing community mobilization at

Muhammadiyah Hospital and Assisted Village (Desa

Binaan) of Muhammadiyah in the provinces of East

Java and South Sulawesi.

The activities have a positive impact on the

development of PKRS in the hospital: the

management, the patients, and the community in the

related area of the Hospital. Also, there was a

commitment from the management of

Muhammadiyah-‘Aisyiyah Hospital and

Muhammadiyah Leaders at the Regional Branch

levels to implement PKRS and GERMAS programs on

an ongoing basis. In 2018, MPKU PP

Muhammadiyah carried out partnership activities in

GERMAS Optimization and Movement of Roles and

Mass Organizations in the Decrease of Stunting,

Elimination of TB and Enhancement of

Immunization Coverage and Services conducted at

four Muhammadiyah Hospitals in three provinces in

Indonesia, Central Java, East Java, and South

Sulawesi.

Islamic-based Organization in Indonesia: Role of Muhammadiyah in Health Improvement

c. Muhammadiyah Disaster

Management Center (MDMC)

Indonesia is one of the most vulnerable countries to

natural disasters. Many significant disasters have hit

the country. Some of them were recorded to be the

most devastating natural disasters in the world.

Geographically, Indonesia is located on a tectonic

plate of which earthquakes are likely to happen. In

Indonesia, there are also more than 129 active

volcanoes that can erupt at any time. This condition

places this country in the shadow of a major disaster.

For disaster management, the Central Board of

Muhammadiyah established the Muhammadiyah

Central Management Disaster Management Institute

(MDMC) which was pioneered in 2007 under the

name "Disaster Management Center" and was later

confirmed as an institution assigned to coordinate

Muhammadiyah's resources in disaster management

activities after the Congress in 2010.

Muhammadiyah, through its MDMC

(Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center) has

played a leading role in organizing other religious

groups in Indonesia to bring their weight to bear on

the issue – both inside Indonesia and globally (Bush,

2014).

MDMC is engaged in disaster management

activities under the definition of disaster management

activities both in Mitigation and Preparedness,

Emergency Response, and Rehabilitation activities.

MDMC adopts an internationally accepted

humanitarian and humanitarian ethics code and

develops disaster risk reduction missions in harmony

with the Hygo Framework for Action. Besides, it also

develops a base to build the preparedness of the

community, school and hospital levels.

MDMC is engaged in disaster activities

throughout the nation by following the territory of the

Muhammadiyah legal entity, the Muhammadiyah

(Provincial) Regional Leadership and MDMC levels

at the Muhammadiyah Regional Leadership

(Regency).

MDMC has received many awards for its roles

and activities in various disaster and humanitarian

response efforts, both at home and abroad. MDMC

was also proposed by various parties and was

screened by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Last year,

MDMC received another award from the Ministry of

Home Affairs in the category of Long Time

Achievement. This year (2018) MDMC volunteers

are still in two newly affected areas, namely in

Lombok and Palu. Until now, MDMC is still carrying

out rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance.

2 DISCUSSION

Strengths, Weaknesses, Chances, and

Challenges in Health and Social

Welfare Sectors of Muhammadiyah

a. The Strengths

1) Reaching more than a century, Muhammadiyah

standpoints are Islamic foundation based on Al-

Quran and Al-Sunnah, along with ijtihad, so it

becomes the biggest modern Islamic movement

and gains the trust of the Muslims, the people in

Indonesia, and the world.

2) The reputation of Muhammadiyah as the biggest

modern Islamic movement has been widely

accepted nationally and internationally. It

increases the support for Muhammadiyah in

doing its health and social sector activities

locally and nationally, including developing

cooperation or partnership in health program

with international institutions.

3) The organizational network of Muhammadiyah

spreads nationwide and in some ASEAN and

other countries, thereby facilitating

Muhammadiyah to carry out health and social

activities in the grassroots level in participation

with many regions.

4) The fast development of charity and health

services quantitatively also becomes the essential

assets of resource, facility, and infrastructure for

Muhammadiyah organization, and it becomes the

significant tool to improve national health status

and human life.

b. The Weaknesses

1) The fast-growing number of charity and services

in health sector is not followed by the improving

quality. Therefore, to a certain extent, it is less

competitive and innovative in terms of giving

contribution to the advancement of the nation.

2) Muhammadiyah has not optimized the

technology and information to document its

activities and achievements so that the

management/administration system of charity

business in the sectors of health and social

welfare lacks an excellent database.

3) Muhammadiyah organization does not establish

public health system in all level with integrated

management, standard service, continuing

program, and quality supervision.

ICSDH 2018 - International Conference on Social Determinants of Health

c. The Chances

1) The recognition from a national and international

citizen of Muhammadiyah as one of civil

society’s pillars in Indonesia opens a chance for

vast cooperation in many countries and

international institutions. Taking the benefit,

Muhammadiyah can increase the quality of

charity and health services, as well as other

activities.

2) ASEAN and International Charter gives an open

opportunity for Muhammadiyah to widen its

health and social movement to cross the

Indonesian borders and enter ASEAN and other

countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei

Darussalam, the Philippine, Thailand, and

Australia.

d. Challenges/Threats

1) The grip of global capitalism affects the

development and life orientation into the ones

that are based on profit, exploitation, material

worship, and worldly pleasure in the life of the

world community. It indirectly influences the

development of Muhammadiyah’s charity and

health services, in that it becomes profit-oriented

and far away from the theology/ideology of Al-

Ma’un as a first movement of PKO or Penolong

Kesengsaraan Oemoem (Public Suffering

Helper).

2) The issue of the accumulation of BPJS

receivables to the Muhammadiyah / ‘Aisyiyah

Hospital Network would be worrying for the

liquidity of Muhammadiyah /'Aisyiyah Hospital.

3 CONCLUSION

Muhammadiyah is consistent with its original

objective that is to develop the health of the

community through religious health service delivery

in the efforts to empower and enlighten the

community. Within Muhammadiyah, all activities in

health aspect may represent an effort at renewal – a

contemporary manifestation of its core mission of

da’wah and social welfare provision. Many pieces

evidences have shown that Muhammadiyah, one of

faith-based organization, has paid attention to the

health service as well as education to improve the life

of the people and the nation. Muhammadiyah was

determined to inflame the spirit of ‘Ta’awwun for the

state’ (help and cooperate in the goodness of all

elements of the nation). Overall, in its post-centennial

era, Muhammadiyah takes the pivotal role to improve

the health of the people in Indonesia.

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Islamic-based Organization in Indonesia: Role of Muhammadiyah in Health Improvement