Training for Tuberculosis Elimination in Indonesia: Achievements, Reflections, and Potential for Impact

Abstract

Indonesia has the third highest tuberculosis (TB) caseload internationally. A cornerstone for strengthening health systems to respond to TB is a well-trained workforce. In a partnership between Indonesian and Australian institutions, TB training was run during 2018 to strengthen the local capacity to meet End TB strategy targets. This paper aims to report on course design, delivery, training outcomes, and reflections. Seventy-six Indonesian healthcare workers, program staff, researchers, and policy-makers were selected from over 800 applicants. The structure comprised three trainings, each with a pre-course workshop (in Indonesia) to identify learning needs, a two-week block (Australia), and a post-course workshop (Indonesia). The training content delivered was a combination of TB technical knowledge and program/project theory, design, and logic, and the training utilised multiple teaching and learning methods. An innovative element of the training was participant-designed TB workplace projects focusing on context-specific priorities. Evaluation was undertaken using participant surveys and appraisal of the projects. Participants rated the course highly, while success in project implementation varied. Reflections include the importance of involving Indonesian experts in delivery of training, the need to understand participant learning requirements and adapt the training content accordingly, and the challenge of measuring tangible training outputs.

Keywords

• tuberculosis
• elimination
• health workforce
• capacity building
• training
• impact