According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Indonesia has the fifth highest incidence of tuberculosis in the world.

The University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Public Health has asked for UNOPS support to implement the modernization project, which is being financed through a grant from the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

UNOPS provided procurement services to the Global Fund project as part of a range of procurement initiatives, including this capacity building seminar

The project will renovate microbiology laboratories and hospital facilities across Indonesia to support the Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) approach to providing care to tuberculosis sufferers.

DOTS is an internationally recognized treatment approach which consists of five components: sustained political and financial commitment, diagnosis by quality-ensured sputum-smear microscopy, standardized short course anti-tuberculosis treatment given under direct and supportive observation, a regular, uninterrupted supply of high quality anti-tuberculosis drugs and standardized recording and reporting.

UNOPS is providing project management services for the renovation work, including construction supervision and contract administration. Each of the facilities will be upgraded according to Indonesian national standards and will closely follow the WHO guidelines. The modernized laboratories and equipment will allow health workers in Indonesia to better diagnose the disease and strengthen the second component of the DOTS approach.

UNOPS is also providing procurement assistance to the university by purchasing specialized containment and analysis equipment to furnish the upgraded hospitals and laboratories.

UNOPS is building procurement capacity across Indonesia, such as hosting a procurement and supply chain management seminar at the UN building in Jakarta at the end of last year.

Around 50 participants including representatives from the Government of Indonesia and other UN agencies attended the session. Topics included the professionalization of procurement, corruption and fraud detection and the logistics of procurement in the Indonesian archipelago.

World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April every year. Read more about UNOPS work in health.