Integration of Medical Services and Psychosocial Support in Empowering Isolated Communities in the Post-Disaster Context: Lessons from the Mission Care Program

Abstract

The hydrometeorological disasters that struck Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra since late 2025 caused extensive impacts on the physical and psychological health of affected populations, particularly in communities with limited geographic accessibility. This condition demands an intervention model oriented not only toward physical recovery but also toward psychosocial strengthening and social capital reinforcement. This article aims to analyze the implementation of the Mission Care program as a community service model that integrates medical services and psychosocial support for isolated post-disaster communities. The activity was conducted over twelve days, from 19 to 30 January 2026, by a multidisciplinary team of twenty-four personnel, including lecturers, medical staff, students, and volunteers, resulting from collaboration between Real Care, Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Real Batam, and GBI Rayon Misi 20. The activity sites included Punke and Kala Wih Ilang villages in Aceh, the Sibolga area in North Sumatra, and affected regions in West Sumatra. The approach combined free medical treatment, distribution of basic needs assistance, and psychosocial accompaniment implemented simultaneously. Results indicate that integrating these two service types accelerated the recovery of basic health access while strengthening social capital and adaptive capacity among communities difficult to reach by formal aid. This article contributes to the evidence base on isolated community empowerment models built on collaboration between higher education institutions, religious organizations, and humanitarian bodies in Indonesia.