On 7 September 2026, Indonesia joined the global celebration of World Field Epidemiology Day, under this year’s theme, “Protecting Communities from Behind the Scenes: The Power of Field Epidemiology.” The day recognizes the important, yet often unseen, contribution of field epidemiologists in surveillance, early detection, outbreak investigation, and public health response.

To mark the occasion, the Indonesian Ministry of Health organized a national online seminar bringing together epidemiologists, government officials, academics, FETP alumni and trainees, and public health practitioners from across Indonesia. The event attracted approximately 1,000 participants through Zoom, reflecting the strong interest and growing epidemiology network in the country.

The seminar was opened by Sumarjaya, Director of Health Surveillance and Quarantine, Ministry of Health, and featured speakers representing national and international partners, academia, human resource development institutions, and local health authorities. Sessions discussed the history and contribution of the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), its development and role in Indonesia, capacity building for the epidemiology workforce, as well as experiences from local health offices, including Yogyakarta and East Nusa Tenggara.

Beyond updating epidemiological knowledge, the event highlighted an equally important strength of field epidemiology in Indonesia: a strong network connecting the Ministry of Health, local health authorities, universities, FETP programs, alumni, and national and international partners. Such connections are essential for sharing information and expertise and, importantly, for translating epidemiological evidence into public health action.

World Field Epidemiology Day reminds us that field epidemiology is not only about responding when an outbreak occurs. It is also about maintaining vigilance, continuously strengthening capacity, learning from one another, and building networks that allow public health systems to detect and respond to threats before they become larger crises.