Lecturers from the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) carry out innovation-based community service activities in 2022 in collaboration with the Indonesian Women's Union Association (HAPSARI). The activity is in the form of community empowerment in the production of herbal medicine in Pondok Tengah Village, Pegajahan District. The research simulation activity itself was carried out at the Microbiology Laboratory of the USU Faculty of Pharmacy, Tuesday (8/23/2022).

Vice Rector III for Community Service and Cooperation as well as an implementing member Prof. Dr. Poppy Anjelisa Zaitun Hasibuan, S.Si., M.Sc., Apt., said this research is one of the research activities that is also community service where the results of this research will be used for the community of Pondok Tengah Village.

"This activity examines the benefits of a spice, namely making a traditional medicine by utilizing agricultural products and this research can later become one of the tourism icons in Pondok Tengah Village. It is hoped that this research product can also be one of USU's innovation products in collaboration with HAPSARI and Pondok Tengah Village," Prof. Poppy said.

The Chief Executive of Community Service, Dr. Nurman Achmad, M.Soc.Sc, said that this activity shows that USU cares about the community and helps the community in processing agricultural products that can be made as the latest findings and also beneficial for the community.

“It is expected that the research is able to optimize agricultural products in local villages so that they can then be used as traditional medicines that are beneficial to many people. The spices produced from Pondok Tengah Village are of good quality and after being researched they are able to produce a finding (innovation) of traditional medicine,” he said.

Chairperson of the Association of Indonesian Women's Unions (HAPSARI) Lely Zailani said that the idea of ​​​​innovative spice processing was brought to the community, because HAPSARI members on average are women who are dominant in the kitchen and the raw materials themselves are around the house, easy to plant around the yard of a house.

Grateful to this innovation in processing into traditional medicine, now, if there is a family member gets sick, mothers can make their own medicine with ingredients that are available at home because the benefits of this research are as additional medicine to cure Covid-19 and maintain body immunity.

“The spices themselves have been researched by the university which can guarantee hygiene and standardization that can be consumed by humans. There is no need to worry because this medicine has been guaranteed hygiene and standardization by USU," she concluded.

The Head of Pondok Tengah Village, Irpan Sinaga, said that this activity was very good for the village economy because during the pandemic many people had economic difficulties, so this product could increase the income of the community.

The Head of Pondok Tengah Village also invites the community to consume herbal products that have guaranteed quality and are easily available so that people do not depend on chemical drugs. (©ULC)