Digitising and Linking Student Sickness Management in Indonesian schools to Community Clinics

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting our Waliku journey since 2020, in recognition of our expertise in working across education and health sectors to address student absenteeism and wellbeing. We are contracted by the ADB’s regional Human and Social Development department to support the digitization of Indonesian schools and links with community clinics in their service for children. In December 2020, we conducted a formative assessment to understand the data generated by schools and community clinics on student wellbeing; the data access needs of each of these entities and the potential areas for digital data sharing. The objective of this exercise was to strengthen the communication among these entities in relation to their goal of ensuring students’ wellbeing. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, more than ever, coordination between schools and clinics is important since they depend on each other for data for disease surveillance, prevention and control efforts. Closer communication and coordination are also important for building trust with parents and communities on the safety measures in place as children return to school.  
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Subsequently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the West Sumba Education Office, the Health Office, the Covid-19 Task Force represented by the Regional Disaster Management Agency, the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Service and Save the Children to build an integrated data system for school age children. To this aim, we have developed Waliku Assess and Waliku Clinic through a series of user-centered design consultations with school teachers, staff and community clinic nurses and school health focal points over two months.  

As they return to school, a simple tool is needed to screen students (and staff) for COVID-19 and other sicknesses and triage those who are potentially very sick for immediate first aid and referral to the local clinic. Waliku Assess assists a school nurse or health focal point in this screening and referral. The local clinic also needs a portal to receive this referral information in near real-time and update it once assessments and treatments are prescribed. Waliku clinic is a portal on school-age children that assists clinic staff to respond to referrals and also proactively plan health interventions with schools. These tools are being introduced in schools in August 2021.