On 27–30 October 2025 a laboratory training workshop on the diagnosis of diphtheria was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, bringing together 18 laboratory professionals from across Indonesia to strengthen national capacity for the timely detection and confirmation of diphtheria cases.
Diphtheria is a serious infectious disease that can cause severe throat infection, airway obstruction and heart and nerve complications. Although it is preventable through vaccination, sporadic outbreaks continue to occur in countries where immunization coverage has declined. Rapid detection and confirmation of cases are therefore essential to initiate treatment, trace contacts and implement control measures.
The four-day training was organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centres for Diphtheria at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), London, and the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit – LGL), Munich, in collaboration with the National Health Biology Laboratory, WHO country and regional offices, and the Ministry of Health of Indonesia. The workshop is part of WHO’s regional initiative to reinforce laboratory networks for the surveillance and control of vaccine-preventable diseases.
During the training, participants received hands-on instruction in the isolation and identification of Corynobacterium species responsible for diphtheria. Sessions covered bacterial culture and biochemical testing, molecular typing and detection of diphtheria toxin production, as well as biosafety, quality assurance and data reporting procedures. Trainers from UKHSA and LGL also shared best practices in clinical specimen collection and referral systems to ensure reliable and timely diagnosis.
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Diphtheria diagnostic workshop participants and facilitators pose together after the session.The session aims to strengthen national capacity for rapid detection and confirmation of diphtheria cases, supporting efforts to control this vaccine-preventable disease. (WHO/Joshua Harmani)
Dr Stephen Chacko, WHO Team Lead for communicable diseases, highlighted the importance of the collaboration: “Accurate and rapid laboratory diagnosis is essential for confirming diphtheria cases and guiding effective public health action. Strengthening laboratory capacity at the national and subnational levels helps ensure that Indonesia is prepared to detect diphtheria early and prevent outbreaks.”
Professor Androulla Efstratiou from UKHSA emphasized the value of sustained laboratory cooperation: “This workshop demonstrates how sharing expertise between international reference laboratories and national institutions can strengthen regional diagnostic capacity and disease surveillance. Strong laboratory systems are at the heart of effective outbreak response.”
Professor Andreas Sing from the LGL added: “Beyond the technical aspects, this training fosters collaboration and standardization of diagnostic approaches across countries, which is critical for global diphtheria control.”
In addition to strengthening laboratory skills, the workshop reiterated the crucial role of vaccination in preventing diphtheria. The diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine is part of routine childhood immunization schedules worldwide and provides long-lasting protection when followed by booster doses.
The Jakarta training is part of ongoing efforts by WHO and its partners to ensure that national laboratories are well-equipped and prepared to identify and respond to diphtheria and other vaccine-preventable diseases. By strengthening diagnostic networks and promoting collaboration between international reference centres and national institutions, countries in the region are better placed to protect communities and save lives.
Written by Joshua Harmani, National Professional Officer (VPD Surveillance) and Tina Kusumaningrum, National Professional Officer (Labs), WHO Indonesia