Bunda Hebat Garut Health Office: A Digital Health Communication Initiative for Mothers and Families in Garut Regency

Signing of the cooperation agreement for the Digitally Enabled District 2.0 program in Garut Regency.

Garut Regency continues to face significant challenges in maternal and child health. In 2024, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) reached 50 maternal deaths, while the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) recorded 332 infant deaths. These figures ranked Garut as the second-highest regency for maternal deaths and the third-highest for infant deaths in West Java Province.

These statistics indicate that the challenges in maternal and child health extend beyond the availability of healthcare services. They also reflect the need for stronger systems to identify health risks at an earlier stage, maintain continuous engagement with pregnant women, and support healthcare workers in providing ongoing monitoring beyond routine visits to community health posts (posyandu) and primary healthcare centers (puskesmas).

This is where Bunda Hebat comes in. Traditionally, communication between pregnant or postpartum mothers and healthcare providers often ends after visits to posyandu or puskesmas, limiting opportunities for early risk detection and timely follow-up. Through digital appointment reminders, health consultations, and personalized health communication, Bunda Hebat keeps mothers connected with healthcare providers between scheduled visits.

Bunda Hebat is a continuation of the digital health communication service developed under the Digitally Enabled District (DED) 1.0 Program by Summit Institute for Development (SUMMIT), which supported healthcare services across 18 primary healthcare centers in Garut Regency from 2024 to 2025. During this period, the platform facilitated 75,843 consultation conversations involving 4,199 pregnant women and 9,019 mothers with infants or young children. It also supported the delivery of health education messages and service reminders.

Results from DED 1.0 demonstrated the effectiveness of personalized digital communication in improving healthcare utilization. The nine intervention primary healthcare centers recorded higher and more timely antenatal care (ANC) visits than the nine control centers, indicating that personalized digital communication can effectively encourage positive health-seeking behaviors within communities.

Inspired by the Garut Regency tagline, "Garut Hebat", Bunda Hebat has become part of the DED 2.0 ecosystem developed by SUMMIT in collaboration with the Garut District Health Office. The initiative serves as the official health communication brand for the program's expansion to 27 primary healthcare centers in 2026 and all 67 primary healthcare centers across Garut Regency by 2027. Bunda Hebat is expected to strengthen early risk detection and improve the continuity of maternal and child healthcare services throughout the district. As the program expands, demand for digital communication services is projected to increase significantly, including the number of beneficiaries, the volume of educational and reminder messages, and the need for follow-up communication with target populations.

DED 2.0 Program Workflow: Maternal and Child Support – "Bunda Hebat" Service Care Plan

During the launch of the DED 2.0 expansion on Tuesday, 14 April 2026, at Hotel Harmoni Garut, the Regent of Garut, Dr. Ir. H. Abdusy Syakur Amin, M.Eng., IPU, emphasized in his video address the importance of high-quality health data collected through posyandu and puskesmas services. He noted that reliable data are essential to ensure appropriate follow-up actions and improve community health outcomes, particularly in reducing maternal and infant mortality. Meanwhile, the Regional Secretary of Garut Regency, Drs. H. Nurdin Yana, M.H., reaffirmed the local government's commitment to ensuring the sustainability of the program.

The Director of Health Promotion at Indonesia's Ministry of Health, dr. Niken Wastu Palupi, MKM, expressed the Ministry's support for the initiative as part of strengthening Indonesia's data-driven health system. Meanwhile, Yuni Dwi Setiyawati, B.Nutr., MHID, Dietitian, CEO of Summit Institute for Development, expressed her optimism that Garut could become a pioneer in digital health transformation and serve as a model at both the national and international levels.

As a demonstration of this shared commitment, the Garut Regency Government signed a cooperation agreement to ensure the consistent and sustainable implementation of the DED Program, particularly Bunda Hebat and its other digital health services.

The expansion of Bunda Hebat to 27 primary healthcare centers marks a new chapter in Garut Regency's efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality through data-driven and digital approaches. With strong support from the Garut Regency Government, the Ministry of Health, and Summit Institute for Development, the initiative is expected not only to expand service coverage but also to strengthen early pregnancy risk detection and ensure continuity of maternal and child health monitoring.

The signing of the cooperation agreement during the DED 2.0 launch underscores the long-term commitment of all stakeholders. Through collaboration among healthcare workers, service operators, and digital communication technologies, the initiative is expected to accelerate efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Garut Regency while establishing Garut as a model for digital health transformation that can be replicated by other regions and recognized as a national, and potentially international reference.