To support the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) of Indonesia in its efforts to train private health care practitioners in tuberculosis (TB) directly observed treatment, the USAID Health Care Improvement Project was asked by USAID to update and adapt for Indonesia a computer-based training product that had previously been developed for Bolivia by the USAID-funded Quality Assurance Project.

In collaboration with the NTP, the Indonesian Medical Association (Ikatan Dokter Indonesia, or IDI), the Indonesian Midwife Association (IBI), and the Indonesian National Nurses Association (PPNI), HCI and its local partner One Comm developed a computer-based training package in Bahasa Indonesia for medical and other health practitioners. Launched in July 2011, the training program has nine modules that are based on the International Standards for Tuberculosis Care (ISTC):

1. 1) Introduction, history, and epidemiology of TB
2. 2) Pathogenesis of TB infection and tuberculosis disease
3. 3) Diagnosis of TB infection and TB disease
4. 4) Treatment of TB infection and TB disease
5. 5) Treatment of TB in children
6. 6) Adherence to TB treatment
7. 7) TB and HIV infection
8. 8) Multi-drug resistant TB diagnosis and management 
9. 9) TB infection prevention and control

The English translation of the nine self-paced training modules developed for Indonesia may be accessed by clicking the image to the right or this link: Click to open training.

NOTE: To close the training, click the small "x" under the bottom right corner, not the larger, red "X" in the top right corner.  For optimal viewing in Internet Explorer, set your browser to Full Screen.

This report describes an improvement activity in El Alto, Bolivia, designed to improve treatment compliance among TB patients by assuring a full dedicated treatment course. This was achieved by organizing medicines in a box reserved for each patients and by improving logistical management of medications at the health network level. This report is also available in Spanish.

Este informe corto describe una mejora ejecutada en Cochabamba, Bolivia, para reducir el número de muestras de saliva que son inútiles para diagnosticar la tuberculosis a través de cambios al proceso de solicitar muestras de esputo y otras técnicas para ayudar a los pacientes a producir una buena muestra de esputo. El informe está disponible también en inglés.

This online community hosts an interactive, up-to-date discussion forum on a range of TB infection control practices and topics. The forum is a venue for users to find answers for technical and administrative issues as many TB resources are distributed through the site, and also offers a setting where experts answer questions from implementers in many different locations.

This short report summarizes the ways in which the USAID Health Care Improvement Project (HCI) is working with local groups and partners to apply quality improvement (QI) methods within the Community Health System in order to strengthen the impact of CHWs and other service providers at the community level, while at the same time increasing sustainability of programmatic impacts. Currently carrying out activities in more than 30 countries globally, HCI seeks to develop the capacity of health systems to apply modern QI approaches to make essential services better meet the needs of underserved populations; improve efficiency and outcomes; reduce costs from poor quality; and improve health worker capacity, engagement, and performance.