NERS NEWS – Students from the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga (FKp Unair), Class A2-2023 Group 1, launched the GEMAS program (Gerakan Masyarakat Sadar Hipertensi or Hypertension Awareness Community Movement) at the RW 03 Hall, Jl. Kedung Tarukan No. 60, Pacar Kembang, Surabaya, on Friday, April 17, 2026. The initiative aimed to empower families in managing hypertension among the elderly through a complementary nursing approach using “TILEMA”—a natural product made from Cucumber (Timun), Lemon, and Honey (Madu).
The GEMAS activity is an integral part of the Integrated Project-Based Learning (PjBL) curriculum for Gerontological Nursing, Family Nursing, and Complementary Nursing courses. The program began with a pre-test to assess the participants’ initial knowledge, followed by a comprehensive presentation on elderly hypertension, covering its definition, signs and symptoms, risk factors, and complications. Subsequently, participants attended a live demonstration on how to prepare TILEMA and concluded with a post-test to evaluate their understanding after the session.
The event involved FKp Unair students under faculty supervision and was attended by 38 Kader Surabaya Hebat (KSH—Surabaya Community Health Volunteers), who actively participated throughout the session. The entire program was conducted at the RW 03 Hall in Pacar Kembang, Surabaya.
The initiative was driven by the high prevalence of hypertension cases among the elderly, where management often remains heavily dependent on pharmacological therapy. Consequently, GEMAS emerged as an educational effort to broaden family understanding through a more holistic and practical approach. Utilizing natural ingredients like cucumber, lemon, and honey in the form of TILEMA serves as an alternative complementary therapy that helps maintain blood pressure while supporting an improved quality of life for seniors.
Arika Tri Wulandari, the chairperson of the GEMAS project, stated, “This activity is not only an implementation of project-based learning but also a real effort to empower families to be more independent in managing health—specifically in preventing and controlling hypertension through the use of complementary therapies like TILEMA.”
In a broader context, the GEMAS program contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being by improving the health status of the elderly; SDG 4: Quality Education through the meaningful PjBL model; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, reflected in the close collaboration between the academic community and local health volunteers.
The GEMAS program has had a positive impact on increasing family understanding of hypertension management through education and direct practice. With the same spirit, it is hoped that similar activities will continue to be developed as promotive and preventive efforts to enhance public health standards.
Authors: Avrilia Fadila Rizki Utami and Sharfina Nasywa Hanifa
Editor: Farah Dina Azizatul Aulia (Airlangga Nursing Journalist)
