Chinese and American CDCs Jointly Host 2023 Tuberculosis Infection Control Educator Training Program

From December 4th to 8th, 2023, the 2023 Tuberculosis Infection Control Instructor Training Program, co-organized by the Center for Tuberculosis Control of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC), was successfully conducted in Luzhou City, Sichuan Province. This event was attended by nearly 40 tuberculosis infection control officers from 31 provinces (including autonomous regions and municipalities) as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction From all provinces and regions across the country. The opening ceremony was graced by the presence of eminent experts including Zhao Yanlin, Director of the Center for Tuberculosis Control at the Chinese CDC, and Dr. Diana Forno Rodriguez, an epidemiologist and infection control expert from the Global Tuberculosis Center at the US CDC. In his speech, Director Zhao Yanlin pointed out the current challenges and issues in tuberculosis prevention and treatment in China. He underscored the significant role and importance of infection control in the fight against tuberculosis, and encouraged continuous efforts across various regions to end TB.

 

The Tuberculosis Infection Control Educator Training Program, a premium course offered by the Tuberculosis Control Center of China CDC, has a distinguished history of 15 years since its inception in 2009. This year's program, while continuing the successful experiences and models from the past, involved a collaboration with experts from US CDC headquarters and their teams stationed in China. Centered around the critical focus of "educator training," the course was re-designed, reshaped, and innovatively restructured. The curriculum was based on the newly released 2023 edition of the "Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis Infection in China" and the "World Health Organization Operational Handbook on Tuberculosis, Module 1: Prevention - Infection Prevention and Control." It aligned with current national standards and regulations pertinent to infection control. The training adopted diverse participatory methods, including classroom teaching, interactive discussions, case analyses, practical operations, sharing of experiences by participants, role-playing, and hands-on internships and feedback sessions at designated tuberculosis healthcare facilities. These approaches effectively engage the participants, involving them in speaking, questioning, discussing, practicing, and participating in practical activities. The enthusiastic involvement and active cooperation from all participants underscored the success and impact of the program.

 

The training program's evaluation results demonstrated a substantial improvement in the participants' proficiency in tuberculosis infection control. The average score of the entire cohort increased from 77.6 before the training to 92.6 after completion. According to satisfaction surveys, 100% of the participants reported significant benefits from the program, with 94.5% expressing high levels of satisfaction. The 2023 Tuberculosis Infection Control Educator Training Program, jointly organized by China CDC and US CDC, successfully achieved its predetermined objectives.