Currently, the health system in Indonesia is more focused on prevention than treatment.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Health Ministry is making efforts to step up its program for the early detection of cancer by implementing promotive and preventive measures uniformly across Indonesian regions.

"Each pillar of health transformation has around 10 to 15 programs, bringing a total of approximately 100 programs, and one of the priorities is cancer services," Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin informed in Jakarta on Monday.

He said that services for cancer patients are a priority under Indonesia’s health system transformation. One of the priorities is maximizing the availability of cancer services in the 514 districts and cities of Indonesia.

Besides scaling up curative and rehabilitative activities, the ministry is also prioritizing cancer services through promotive and preventive programs, especially screening and early detection, the minister added.

“Currently, the health system in Indonesia is more focused on prevention than treatment," he said.

The Ministry of Health, through the National Health Insurance (JKN) scheme, is guaranteeing free health coverage for the screening of 14 diseases at community health centers (puskesmas), one of which is cancer, Sadikin added.

"The implementation of the primary service transformation is being carried out through the National Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Health), which is currently allocating Rp9 trillion to finance screening services, which includes cancer," he continued.

In addition, the ministry has prepared 10 thousand ultrasound devices that will be distributed to all puskesmas in 514 districts and cities this year to achieve the target of early detection of breast cancer, he disclosed.

Furthermore, the free HPV vaccination program has been implemented to prevent the number of cervical cancer cases. The HPV vaccine is being provided to grade 5 and 6 elementary school girls. This year, vaccinations will be provided equally in 34 provinces in Indonesia, the minister noted.

Besides vaccination, the ministry is preparing a pilot program for cervical cancer screening using the HPV DNA test method. Currently, HPV DNA tests are being conducted in five cities in Jakarta, namely Central Jakarta, South Jakarta, North Jakarta, West Jakarta, and East Jakarta.

"We do this because, in the future, there will be an additional genome sequencing method development program at 38 public health laboratories in Indonesia," Minister Sadikin informed.

Currently, cancer is the largest contributor to mortality in the country. According to Globocan data, 396,914 people were diagnosed with cancer in Indonesia in 2022, with the number of cancer deaths pegged at 234,511.

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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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