The tradition of "mudik" is practiced by the majority of Indonesians before the Idul Fitri holiday. Mudik becomes a much-anticipated time to reunite with extended family. Preparations for Idul Fitri or Lebaran mudik are made well in advance by many people. However, there are also those who neglect these preparations and force themselves to go back to their hometowns despite not being in good health. As a result, the journey can be uncomfortable and may even lead to fatal accidents.

What health issues should be aware of during mudik?

1. Traffic accidents
2. Fatigue during the journey
3. Weakened immune system
4. Disease transmission

Prevention

During the mudik journey, maintain your body stamina by consuming fruits and vegetables, eating healthy and clean food, and avoiding the influence of drugs and alcohol while driving. Controlling your emotions while driving can support your body’s stamina. Don’t forget to drink enough water during the trip, and avoid staying up late before traveling or make sure to get enough rest before heading out. If your body feels stiff, do some stretching during the trip. Stretching can be done every 4 hours or when you feel tired or sleepy. The benefits of stretching are numerous, including:

1. Reducing muscle tension
2. Reducing the risk of back pain
3. Reducing muscle injuries/cramps
4. Improving relaxation

Stretching can be done in the vehicle when stuck in traffic or in waiting areas while waiting for transportation departure. How to stretch?

1. Turn your head to the left and hold for 8 counts
2. Turn your head to the right and hold for 8 counts
3. Raise both arms parallel to your shoulders, bend your wrists upward at a 90-degree angle. Hold for 8 counts
4. Raise both arms parallel to your shoulders, bend your wrists downward at a 90-degree angle. Hold for 8 counts
5. Place your right hand on your left thigh and your left hand on the seatback, then turn your body to the left
6. Do the same movement in the opposite direction
7. Raise both legs forward, bend your ankles upwards. Hold for 8 counts
8. Raise both legs upward with your ankles straight forward. Hold for 8 counts

Detection

To ensure a safe and healthy mudik for you and your family, start by ensuring the health condition of the driver of the mode of transportation. If your husband or father is the driver, invite them to undergo a health check-up beforehand. If you are the driver, maintaining your health and that of your passengers is a noble responsibility.

Health checks can be done at public health centers, clinics, or other health facilities, or for drivers with limited time, health checks can be conducted at health posts available at public places. Health checks at these posts are free of charge and the procedure is simple. After registration and an interview, physical health checks such as blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rate, as well as tests for blood sugar, alcohol, and drug use, will be conducted.

At health posts, there are also consultation services regarding the examination results, ensuring safe and healthy mudik by assessing the fitness of the drivers. Don’t forget, check your health before mudik to prepare a healthy and fit body when driving.

Treatment

The high rate of traffic accidents in Indonesia, especially during mudik, and the public's lack of knowledge about how to help accident victims correctly, causes delays in treatment or even improper handling that can worsen the victim's condition. A little care from us can save lives.

Why Do We Need to Help Accident Victims Immediately?

Accident victims who are not helped immediately may face the risk of death. Proper first aid before medical professionals arrive can save the victim's life and prevent disability.

What should we do when we encounter an accident?

1. Immediately call 119*
2. Before helping, ensure that you are not at risk of an accident yourself!**
3. Ask for help from people around you to secure the accident scene.
4. Turn off all engines of the vehicles involved in the accident.
5. Prioritize helping living victims.
6. If possible, move the victim to a safer location without worsening their condition.
7. Do not move the vehicles involved in the accident as they are evidence for the police.

The First Step in Helping Accident Victims:

Ensure that your emotions are calm and you are ready to assist. Also, make sure the accident victim is still alive or already deceased. To quickly detect this:

1. Ensure the victim is conscious or not.
2. Listen and feel for the victim’s breath by “bringing your ear/cheek near their nose” while observing the rise and fall of their chest to determine if the victim is breathing.
3. Check the victim’s nails by pressing them; if they are initially pale and cold, or initially red and turn pale after 2 seconds of pressure, then the victim has passed away.

Second Step: If the Victim Is Alive, Is the Victim Conscious? To determine the condition of the victim:

1. The victim is conscious if they respond and can communicate actively.
2. Responding to voice: Responds only when their name is called, tends to be drowsy.
3. Responding to pain: Responds only when pain is applied, showing groaning or an attempt to push away.
4. No response: The victim does not respond to pain stimuli.

If the Victim Is Conscious and Complains of Shortness of Breath:

Remove anything binding the victim’s body, such as:

1. Helmet
2. Jacket, tie if any, and unbutton the victim’s shirt
3. Fasteners on the victim's pants without opening the zipper

Loosen the victim’s belt. Do not give the victim any water if they are having difficulty breathing. Wait until medical assistance arrives.

If the Victim Is Trapped

If the victim is conscious, ensure they do not panic. Do not pull the victim forcefully if there are still obstacles. Ensure that the victim is freed from all obstructions or pinning. If the victim is trapped between two moving objects, it is sufficient to free one side and use the other side as support to prevent the victim from falling when the pressure is released.

What if the victim is trapped between the car seat and the dashboard/steering wheel?

1. Position the seatback in an upright position.
2. Position the victim to lean against the car seat back to maintain the spine in a straight alignment.
3. Move the seat back to the maximum position.
4. Release the victim’s seatbelt if it can be easily undone, or cut it if necessary.
5. After the victim is freed from the compression, remove their lower body (legs) from the pressure of the brake/clutch pedal. If there is any deformity in the victim’s legs, be cautious as there may be fractures. Move the leg only in the direction of the joints.

Step Three

If the Victim Is Unconscious, Ensure the Airway Is Not Blocked

Signs of a blocked airway: wheezing or gurgling sounds.

1. Check for any head or neck injuries.
2. If there are no head or neck injuries, open the airway by tilting the victim’s head back and lifting their chin (Head Tilt – Chin Lift).
3. For a victim with suspected head injury accompanied by neck bone injury, use the “jaw thrust” technique to open the airway, known as the Jaw Thrust.
4. For a victim with gurgling sounds suspected to be from liquid (blood, vomit, etc.), tilt the victim’s body to one side to allow the liquid to drain out of their mouth.

Procedure for Removing a Helmet (Must Be Done by Two Rescuers)

1. The first rescuer must stabilize the victim’s head and neck to prevent movement by placing both palms on the neck and head.

Position the fingers on the victim’s lower jaw to prevent the helmet from slipping off if the chin strap is detached.

2. The second rescuer removes the helmet strap from its hook or cuts it if it is difficult to remove.

3. The second rescuer places one hand on the angle of the jaw with the thumb on one side and the other fingers on the opposite side. Meanwhile, the other hand supports the back of the head.

4. The first rescuer then widens the helmet to both sides, beyond the ears, and carefully removes the helmet. If the helmet is a full-face model, the face shield must be removed first.

Step Four: If There Is Severe Bleeding, Perform the Following:

1. Stop the bleeding by applying direct pressure to the bleeding site, using a rolled cloth or another object with sufficient force.
2. Do not apply random objects to stop the bleeding, such as oil, brake fluid, etc.
3. Position the bleeding area higher than the heart.
4. Maintain pressure bandages until medical assistance arrives.

Heavy bleeding that is not promptly addressed can cause the victim to lose blood and result in death.

How to Move the Victim

The transfer of an unconscious victim must be done by at least 3 rescuers to prevent further injury. Move the victim as you would handle a corpse, not by carrying or dragging. The positioning of the rescuers when moving the victim is as follows: one rescuer at the top, covering the head and shoulders, another rescuer in the middle, covering the back and hips, and the third rescuer at the lower body, from the knees to the ankles. Avoid allowing the victim's body to dangle, especially the neck/head area.

Handling Victims with Bone Fractures

Signs of a bone fracture:

1. There is a deformity in the victim's leg or arm.
2. The bone fracture can be either open, where the bone is visible, or closed.
3. Be careful when moving the victim. Provide assistance by ensuring that the broken limb/arm does not shift.

If You Find an Unconscious Victim on the Road Who Is Breathing Irregularly or Not Breathing, and the Victim Is Not a Traffic Accident Victim, You Should Pay Attention to the Following:

1. If you have been trained in Basic Life Support (BLS) and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), and the victim is unresponsive with irregular or no breathing, perform chest compressions (CPR) for 2 minutes, then apply the AED (if available). If the victim still does not respond, continue CPR until medical assistance arrives.
2. If you have not been trained in Basic Life Support (BLS), you can contact the 119 call center, describe the victim’s condition, and follow the instructions given by the call center operator, who will guide you on what to do for the victim.

How to Secure Evidence:

The public can assist the police in securing evidence in the following ways:

1. Mark the area using available objects around the accident scene, such as stones, twigs, etc.
2. Do not move the vehicles involved in the traffic accident.
3. Do not move or alter the position of the vehicle’s gear shift (manual or automatic), mirrors (right, left, or center).
4. Do not move or change the position of any items or broken glass or scattered vehicle parts.
5. If possible, document the final position of the vehicles involved in the traffic accident.
6. Protect the victim’s personal belongings and identification.

Source: Ayosehat.kemkes.go.id