On November 5, 2025, the Faculty of Medicine at Universitas YARSI conducted a crucial community service training program titled “Training for Cadres and Patient Medication Observers (PMO) on Depression Prevention in TB Patients” at Room 506-507, 5th Floor, Universitas YARSI. This training was initiated in response to the growing recognition that tuberculosis treatment success depends not only on medical intervention but also on addressing the significant psychological burden experienced by patients, their families, and healthcare companions. TB patients often face prolonged treatment periods, medication side effects, social stigma, financial constraints, and fear of transmission, all of which contribute to high rates of depression and stress that can severely impact treatment adherence. The training addressed critical topics including stress management for families and TB care companions, recognition of stress sources and signals, understanding of burnout and compassion fatigue among caregivers, and practical stress management strategies.
This training activity directly supports Sustainable Development Goal 3 on Good Health and Well-being, which emphasizes ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. By equipping TB cadres and PMOs with mental health literacy and psychosocial support skills, the program addresses the critical link between mental health and treatment success in tuberculosis care. Depression among TB patients can lead to medication non-adherence, treatment interruption, increased risk of treatment failure, and continued disease transmission in communities. Similarly, burnout among caregivers and health workers reduces the quality of patient support and can lead to compromised care delivery. This capacity-building initiative strengthens community-based health systems by integrating mental health support into TB care, promoting holistic treatment approaches that recognize patients as whole persons rather than merely disease cases. Through empowering frontline health workers with skills to recognize depression symptoms, provide emotional support, prevent caregiver burnout, and facilitate timely referrals to mental health professionals, Universitas YARSI contributes to improving TB treatment outcomes, enhancing quality of life for patients and caregivers, and advancing Indonesia’s progress toward achieving universal health coverage and TB elimination targets by 2030.
