We are pleased to announce that the application deadline for the TDR Implementation Research (IR) Leadership Fellowship Programme for Public Health Impact (2026/2027) has been extended.

New Application Deadline: 13 February 2026 at 17:00 (CET)

This prestigious fellowship, hosted by the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and funded by TDR (the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases), is designed to develop the next generation of leaders in Implementation Research. read more

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held a two-day intensive course titled “Leadership in Implementation Science” on 16–17 October 2025. This course was part of the GENERAP PREP Workshop (Pilot Program), designed to enhance participants’ understanding of leadership within the context of implementation research and evidence-based policy. The course began with Opening Remarks from Prof. Yodi Mahendradhata, who emphasized the role of leadership in advancing health research and improving global health systems. Following this, Prof. Elsa Herdiana Murhandarwati led the Orientation and Morning Coffee session, introducing participants to the course structure and facilitating a baseline assessment. read more

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK) Universitas Gadjah Mada successfully organized the Workshop on Leadership Curriculum Development for Implementation Science Leadership Fellowship from 30 September to 2 October 2025 at The Phoenix Hotel, Yogyakarta. The three-day workshop aimed to strengthen the foundation of the Implementation Science Leadership Fellowship by developing a structured and contextually relevant leadership curriculum.

This event brought together leading scholars, institutional partners, and experts from Universitas Gadjah Mada, the University of Ghana, and the World Health Organization’s Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO-TDR). The sessions focused on sharing best practices, exploring leadership development models, and designing an integrated curriculum to enhance leadership capacity in implementation research. The workshop opened with welcoming remarks and a sharing session led by Prof. Yodi Mahendradhata, Dean of FK-KMK UGM, and Dr. Mahnaz Vahedi from WHO-TDR. The session featured presentations on the Implementation Science Leadership Fellowship Program by representatives from the University of Ghana and Universitas Gadjah Mada, followed by an interactive Q&A session moderated by Prof. E. Elsa Herdiana Murhandarwati. read more

Kupang, July 11, 2025 – Implementation Science Leadership Fellowship Program, hosted by the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FK-KMK UGM), carried out a comprehensive monitoring visit to fellows undertaking their internships in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. This activity forms part of IS Leadership Program’s ongoing commitment to uphold academic excellence, foster professional growth, and ensure that all internship experiences contribute meaningfully to the advancement of public health in diverse community settings. Funded by the Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), the program specializes in equipping future global health leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to address pressing health challenges in various socio-cultural contexts. The monitoring visit was led by Prof. dr. E. Elsa Herdiana Murhanxarwati, M.Kes., Prof. Ari Natalia Probandari, MPH., Ph.D., and drh. Kharisma Dewi, MPH, representing the Implementation Science Leadership Program academic management team. The delegation visited two key institutions in Kupang the Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) Office and the Kupang City Health Office which currently serve as host organizations for Implementation Science Leadership Program fellows. The fellows involved in the internship program are Rhondemo A. Kikon (India), Dina Arisonaningtyas (Indonesia), and Monjurul Karim (Bangladesh), each bringing unique perspectives and expertise to their assigned projects. read more

Kupang, NTT – From 30 June to 4 July 2025, three fellows of the International Health program under the Implementation Science Leadership Fellowship Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK) Universitas Gadjah Mada embarked on an intensive field visit to Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. The fellows such as Rhondemo A. Kikon from India, Dina Arisonaningtyas from Indonesia, and Monjurul Karim from Bangladesh joined forces with the local Wolbachia Project team from Yayasan Pengendalian Keganasan Tular (PKT) and representatives from the District Health Office to observe and participate in the operational rollout of a large-scale Wolbachia mosquito control program. This week-long engagement was designed to immerse the fellows in the realities of implementing public health innovations beyond the pilot stage. Each day began with collecting Aedes aegypti mosquito eggs from strategic trap sites. These eggs, collected from pre-positioned ovitraps, are a critical component of ongoing entomological surveillance, enabling the program to monitor Wolbachia establishment in mosquito populations. In parallel, the fellows assisted in placing new “Wolbachia buckets” containers designed to release Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes into designated community locations. read more

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK–KMK) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), through its Implementation Science Leadership Fellowship Program (IR–TDR) supported by the World Health Organization’s Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO–TDR), held an intensive Policy Brief Writing Workshop on 24–26 June 2025 at the Center for Health Policy and Management Research and Development (PKMK Litbang UGM). This three-day workshop served as an essential preparatory activity for the IR–TDR Fellows before they embark on their upcoming field assignments. read more

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – The Implementation Science Leadership Fellowship Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK–KMK) Universitas Gadjah Mada, supported by the World Health Organization’s Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO–TDR), successfully conducted the Induction Program to the Wolbachia Project on 16 and 19 June 2025. This four-day program served as a comprehensive orientation for fellows before they embark on their upcoming fieldwork in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, blending classroom-based learning, laboratory immersion, and site visits to ensure full readiness for the complex realities of community-based vector control interventions. read more

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – On May 23, 2025, the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK) Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) extended a warm and heartfelt welcome to the new cohort of fellows under the Implementation Science Leadership Fellowship Program through a special Welcome Lunch Fellowship held at the Tahir Building, 2nd Floor. This gathering served as an important milestone to officially introduce the fellows to the academic community and to foster early connections with faculty members, program managers, and the supporting staff who will accompany them throughout their journey. The event was organized by the Implementation Research at UGM (IR UGM Team). The program has consistently aimed to build professional capacity in addressing health issues specific to tropical regions, equipping fellows with both academic knowledge and practical experience to tackle pressing public health challenges. read more

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – The Implementation Science Leadership Fellowship Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FKKMK) Universitas Gadjah Mada, is supported by the WHO-TDR. Its first series of workshops successfully delivered the Implementation Research from 19 May to 4 June 2025. This workshop was organized and facilitated by the South East Asia Regional Training Center for Health Research, Center for Tropical Medicine, FKKMK. This hybrid-format event brought together experienced facilitators and passionate fellows from multiple countries to strengthen the understanding and application of Implementation Research (IR) in real-world health settings. The workshop was designed to help participants not just learn about IR theory, but also practice it through hands-on activities, case studies, and peer discussions. read more

Image Courtesy: Catholic News Agency

by Dr Abhishek Royal and Dr Marcelo Amaral Mali.

The entire world is tirelessly making efforts to stop the spread of SARS Coronavirus 2 and end COVID-19 pandemic. The sight of firefighters spraying disinfectants on roads and buildings using high pressure pump trucks or drones spraying chemicals from sky gives an extreme sense of security to most of us. The provisions of drenching people/workers who are travelling back from affected areas with disinfectants through hose pipes and strict execution of norms to use disinfectant tunnels by general public at public places and disinfectant chambers by health professionals while entering or leaving the health facility are continuously sighted in various parts of the world. read more