We can end TB by 2030 if an effective vaccine is available by 2025Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has called for various measures to handle tuberculosis (TB), including smarter investment in science, in order to end the infectious disease by 2030.
By improving collaborative network and multilateral partnership, the world can develop an effective and efficient diagnosis, vaccine, therapy, and surveillance system, he noted at the G20 Side Event on Tuberculosis here, Tuesday.
As host of the G20 Presidency, Indonesia encourages bolstering the global health architecture, he remarked.
Moreover, the nation advocates for essential TB services wherein G20 nations can improve TB surveillance, including for suspected patients, close contacts, and high risk population.
"Finding risk-based cases and being proactive for clinical and sub-clinical TB patients are very important. This is done by making diagnostic tools close to the people, including x-ray and molecular technology," he remarked.
In addition, strengthening shorter regimen medicine utilization and TB prevention medication should be done to maximize impacts.
"New regimen is an opportunity to increase compliance to medication, people-centric medication, and reduction of medicine side-effects," the minister noted.
In addition, Indonesia pushes for adequate and sustainable investment in better TB vaccine research and development.
"We can end TB by 2030 if an effective vaccine is available by 2025," he remarked.
Sadikin expects that Indonesia's efforts can put a dent in TB and produce the desired results.
Meanwhile, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus believes that investment in the efforts to end TB is part of the precautionary measures against a pandemic in the future.
These efforts encompass implementing and updating digital and artificial equipment and technology as well as a comprehensive treatment package that can support the success of TB medication.
The condition of the people's health depends on financing innovation for TB research in order to produce new innovations, including vaccine, he noted.
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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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