The USAID-supported LINKAGES project in Indonesia coordinates with the Indonesia Ministry of Health, 34 Provincial Health Offices, targeted District Health Offices, and Meditrans on the distribution, set-up, and use of mechanical ventilators donated to the country by USAID. 

To build the capacity of healthcare providers in Indonesia on proper use and maintenance of the ventilators, LINKAGES Indonesia collaborated with a team from the University of California at San Francisco to develop the training course,Mechanical Ventilation for COVID-19: A training curriculum for frontline health care workers. This three-module, eight-hour introductory course is designed to prepare licensed ICU hospital clinicians, nurses and technicians to use the Vyaire LTV1200/2200 ventilator in caring for a patient who is receiving mechanical ventilation. It includes sessions on standard ventilation practices and considerations for COVID-19 patients; ventilation practices for patients experiencing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS); considerations for the daily assessment of ventilated patients; and strategies for evaluating patients for extubation readiness. Four COVID-19 case studies were also developed and integrated into the training package.

To ensure the health and well-being of COVID-19 health care professionals and training facilitators – particularly given rising COVID-19 cases and extremely high death rates among Indonesia health care professionals – LINKAGES has also transitioned this face-to-face training curriculum to a virtual format.  LINKAGES developed eight ventilator demonstration videos and divided learning into three components – Preparation, Participation, and Practice – to facilitate experiential learning. The project is also in the process of developing a learning and resource portal to house learning products and training materials to aid both synchronous and asynchronous capacity development of providers.

At the end of September, 45 ICU doctors and nurses representing 15 health facilities, 13 districts, and two provinces had received support for COVID-19 case management through distribution, set-up, and training on use of the USAID-donated ventilators. An additional 20 training sessions across four provinces will take place in October 2020 and 16 training sessions across seven provinces are scheduled for November 2020.