Unand pharmacy lecturer wins Best Oral Presentation at ICHS 2026, strengthens research collaboration with Universiti Malaya

Padang (ANTARA) - A lecturer at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Andalas (Unand), Apt. Yoneta Srangenge, S.Farm., M.Sc., won the Best Oral Presentation award at The 4th International Conference on Health Sciences (ICHS) 2026, held at Grand Sahid Jaya, Jakarta, on August 6-7, 2026.

The award was announced at the closing of ICHS 2026 on Friday, Aug. 7, after Yoneta presented a study titled "Guideline-Based Dosing and Dosing-Interval Appropriateness of Gentamicin, Amikacin, and Vancomycin, and Association with Short-Term Clinical Stability in Neonates with Sepsis at an Indonesian Tertiary Referral Hospital."

The study evaluated the appropriateness of dosing and dosing intervals for three narrow-therapeutic-index antibiotics -- gentamicin, amikacin, and vancomycin -- in neonates with sepsis at a tertiary referral hospital in Indonesia.

The findings showed amikacin had the highest rate of dosing inappropriateness compared with guideline recommendations, while for gentamicin, dosing appropriateness was associated with short-term clinical outcomes.

"These findings show the need for stricter dose evaluation and clinical documentation in the use of narrow-therapeutic-index antibiotics in neonates. We recommend the use of therapeutic drug monitoring and clinical decision-support systems, where supported by adequate laboratory capacity and services," Yoneta said.

The study was conducted by Yoneta Srangenge together with Yelly Oktavia Sari, Gestina Aliska, Suri Khairati Fitri, Farzana Zalda As-sajidah, Mareta Adelia Putri, Sherly Meilianti, and Suzana Mustafa, involving researchers from Universitas Andalas, RSUP Dr. M. Djamil Padang, Robert Gordon University in the United Kingdom, Universitas Airlangga, and Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II under Malaysia's Ministry of Health.

The activity is funded by the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) on behalf of the Indonesian Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, and managed under the EQUITY Program (Contract No. 4304/B3/DT.03.08/2025).

Yoneta added that ICHS 2026 also gave her the opportunity to engage directly with academics from various countries.

In addition to the award, Yoneta's participation in ICHS 2026 helped strengthen Unand's research collaboration with Universiti Malaya, which had previously been established through other lecturers at the university. During the conference, she met with Prof. Dr. Hasniza Binti Zaman Huri, Professor at the Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, who spoke at Plenary Session 1 on "Health Equity and Sustainability."