The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the Indonesian military (TNI) conducted a training program focused on biorisk management, disease detection, outbreak investigation, and laboratory safety from July 22 to 25 at Putri Hijau Army Hospital in Medan.
Experts from Sandia National Laboratories, part of the U.S. Department of Energy, led the sessions. The training was designed to provide TNI health professionals with updated skills and highlighted the importance of laboratories in identifying and managing infectious disease threats.
Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Gede Kartika, Chief of Putri Hijau Hospital, joined Kaitlin Mooney, Senior Subject Matter Expert from Sandia National Laboratories, in opening the event. Mooney stated: “We are pleased to work with our Indonesian colleagues at Putri Hijau in this vital mission. This mentorship reflects the strong cooperation between the U.S. and Indonesian militaries in protecting human health through strengthened biosecurity and preparedness.”
Sixteen military laboratory professionals from TNI health units across North Sumatra took part in interactive training sessions that focused on how laboratory activities contribute to broader bio-surveillance efforts during public health incidents.
Major General Dr. Sugiarto, Head of TNI Health Center, expressed appreciation for the collaboration: “We would like to thank you for the training organized by the U.S. DTRA. Hopefully, this training will be sustainable and continue to support the advancement of health units within the TNI.”
This effort is part of an ongoing partnership between DTRA and TNI aimed at improving Indonesia’s capacity for handling health security issues through skill development and technical support. Previous trainings were also held at Salamun Air Force Hospital in Bandung and Mintoharjo Naval Hospital in Jakarta earlier in June 2025.