UNSRI Assigns Two FKM Faculty Members to the Operational Research Team for the 2025 South Sumatra TB Program

Sriwijaya University (UNSRI) has once again demonstrated its commitment to supporting national health programs. The Rector of UNSRI, Prof. Dr. Taufiq Marwa, S.E., M.Si., officially appointed two faculty members from the UNSRI Faculty of Public Health (FKM)—namely, Prof. Dr. rer. med. H. Hamzah Hasyim, S.K.M., M.K.M., and Dr. Iche Andriyani Liberty, S.K.M., M.Kes., to serve on the Operational Research Team for the South Sumatra Province Tuberculosis (TB) Program for the year 2025.

This appointment is a follow-up to a letter from the South Sumatra Provincial Health Office No. 400.7/4753/KesNIII/2025 dated August 4, 2025, which invites Sriwijaya University to participate as an academic partner in conducting operational research for the TB program at the provincial level.

The two faculty members will represent UNSRI in the implementation of Operational Research on Tuberculosis (OR-TB), a national research program initiated by the Indonesian Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Indonesian Pediatricians Association (IDAI) and the Indonesian Tuberculosis Research Network.

This research is titled “Analysis of the Case Detection to Treatment Success Cascade for Tuberculosis in Palembang City: Utilization of Tuberculosis Information System Data and Primary Audits.” The research focuses on strengthening the continuity of TB services through evidence-based analysis of all stages of the service cascade, from case detection and treatment initiation to treatment success.

This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses. The quantitative analysis involved a review of secondary data from the Tuberculosis Information System (SITB) and the HIV/AIDS Information System (SIHA), which was validated through a primary data audit covering medical records, pharmacy logs, and laboratory results. Meanwhile, the qualitative approach was conducted through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) with patients, family members, healthcare workers, and program managers. Through this analysis, the study aims to identify critical points of patient loss (drop-off) at each stage of care and develop policy recommendations based on local data to improve the effectiveness of TB control in Palembang City.

As part of the implementation of these activities, the South Sumatra Provincial Health Office, through Letter No. 400.7.10/6757/Kes/VIII/2025 dated October 22, 2025, invited the UNSRI research team to attend the Monitoring and Evaluation Meeting on the Utilization of Research Results from the TB Program, held on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at the Azza by Horison Hotel in Palembang.

The event was attended by various stakeholders, including representatives of the Governor of South Sumatra Province and the Directorate General of Disease Control of the Indonesian Ministry of Health. The invitation was electronically signed by Dr. H. Trisnawarman, M.Kes., Sp.KKLP (Subsp. FOMC), Head of the South Sumatra Provincial Health Office.

UNSRI’s involvement in this operational research holds strategic significance in supporting national efforts to eliminate tuberculosis. The principal investigator, Prof. Hamzah Hasyim, emphasized that this research strengthens UNSRI’s contribution to developing evidence-based policies in the field of public health. “In addition to expanding cross-institutional academic networks, this initiative also fosters collaboration between the academic community and local governments to enhance the effectiveness of TB control programs, integrate TB–HIV services, and implement TB preventive therapy (TPT) in the community,” he said.

He further explained that this research aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, which aims to end the epidemics of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other infectious diseases by 2030. By focusing on strengthening information systems, data validation, and evidence-based interventions, this research supports the achievement of SDG 3.3, which focuses on controlling infectious diseases, as well as SDG 17, which emphasizes the importance of strategic partnerships in achieving development goals.

With the full support of the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) at Sriwijaya University, this research is expected to serve as a model for national collaborative research that integrates science, policy, and field practice in efforts to control infectious diseases. This initiative also reaffirms Sriwijaya University’s position as a strategic partner of the government in realizing a healthy and productive society, in line with the “Golden Indonesia 2045” vision, which is oriented toward developing outstanding human capital with global competitiveness. (FKM Press Release/Ara_Public Relations)