Early detection of disease outbreaks depends on the skills of frontline health workers and public health officials. To spot health threats quickly and respond before they spread, these workers need the skills to identify risks, understand local health challenges and work together effectively. To strengthen these skills, the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a series of trainings and simulation exercises in August 2026.
Three training of trainers cohorts held in Depok and Bekasi, West Java, brought together 90 officers from provincial and district health offices, health quarantine offices and the Ministry of Health. Participants strengthened their ability to assess local health risks, identify communities that may be particularly vulnerable to disease, and use local data to guide preparedness and response to potential outbreaks.
Also in August, 250 doctors, nurses, surveillance officers and laboratory staff from 35 hospitals and laboratories gathered in Makassar, South Sulawesi, and Depok, West Java, to participate in tabletop exercises, scenario-based simulations that allowed them to practise how they would respond to a public health emergency. The exercises focused on severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), which can serve as an early warning sign of emerging disease outbreaks.
“Before the exercise, I thought of SARI mainly as a reporting activity,” said Ester Grace Piay, Surveillance Officer at Prof. Dr. R. D. Kandou Central General Hospital in Manado. After taking part in the exercise, she realized that “SARI surveillance is not only about data. It is part of the hospital’s early warning system.”
For Aida Fitri, Surveillance Officer from Sijunjung District Health Office, the next step is putting the training into practice. “We plan to apply risk mapping, develop district risk profiles and recommendations, and share these approaches with puskesmas (primary healthcare centre) and local stakeholders. By understanding our risks better, we can make preparedness decisions based on local evidence and act before health threats escalate,” she said.
Training participants plan to share what they learned with their colleagues through local workshops. The participants will support district health offices to identify and monitor health risks as well. Meanwhile, hospitals plan to strengthen standard operating procedures, introduce the lessons to new staff and conduct regular preparedness exercises.
By improving disease surveillance, coordination and risk assessment, health authorities can detect potential outbreaks earlier and respond more quickly. Strengthening the skills of the people who perform these vital functions every day is helping Indonesia better prepare for future disease outbreaks and protect the health of everyone in the nation.
These activities are supported by the Pandemic Fund.
Written by Resty Armis, National Professional Officer (Avian Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases) and Joshua Harmani, National Professional Officer (Surveillance), WHO Indonesia