(3) to apply the knowledge and skills learned during the course through field visits and preparation of an action plan.
2.3 Participants
Thirteen countries were represented at this first WHO regional training course. Twenty four participants came from the following countries: Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, Japan, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Marshall Islands, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Samoa and Viet Nam. Three observers from China and one from the Lao People's Democratic Republic also took part in the course.
The list of participants, observers, temporary advisers and facilitators is attached as Annex 1.
2.4 Organization
The workshop was organized by WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific with the collaboration of the National Tuberculosis Control Center, Ministry of Health, Beijing and was co-sponsored by the Japanese Anti-Tuberculosis Association (JATA). It was held at the Sino-Danish Biomedical Postgraduate Training Center, Beijing, China.
2.5 Working methods
2.5.1 First week
The participants worked in plenary sessions for the first week, during which lectures were given, covering various topics in the field of tuberculosis. Plenary sessions were also held regularly at the beginning and the end of each day. The lectures were marked by intensive participation by the participants who were encouraged to discuss points raised during the lectures.
The Beijing National Tuberculosis Center offered their laboratory facilities for a practical session including preparation, staining and reading of slides.
2.5.2 Second and third week
As two different sets of modules (at national level and at district level), were used concurrently during the course, it was necessary to divide the participants into groups:
two groups of six participants for the national level and three groups of five for the district level. Each group worked independently at their own pace with the help of one facilitator.
Similarly, during the third week, participants worked as independent groups for the field visit in Hebei province and, after their return to Beijing, for the last activities (cohort analysis, preparation and presentation of an action plan).
The grouping of the participants is attached as Annex 2.
The training materials used were the WHO training modules on managing tuberculosis at national level and managing tuberculosis at district level.
