Partnerships for policy: initiating a Global Burden of Animal Diseases case study in Indonesia

The Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) programme aims to quantify the economic and broader societal costs of animal disease, providing information to policy makers and other stakeholders to inform investments into animal health. Within this context, the Indonesian case study brings together a multidisciplinary and multi-national team to pilot the GBADs methodology in the Asia-Pacific region. In this paper we describe the process of building a case study, and based on our experience, summarise key learnings to inform the development of future case studies and similar projects. Our recommendations focus on the steps required to build successful partnerships to deliver a complex programme of work; we highlight the need to consider the local context in aligning project and country priorities, the importance of early engagement with a range of stakeholders, and the need for regular and clear communication within the project team.