"The first step, just like other communicable diseases, is they (the cases) must be detected first," he remarked after the 60th National Health Day commemoration event in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Sadikin said he seeks to ensure that TB can be identified and diagnosed in all health facility networks in Indonesia.
He noted that in 2023, the number of TB cases detected in Indonesia reached 800 thousand, while in 2024, the Ministry of Health is targeting to detect at least 900 thousand cases.
The minister also explained that innovations in TB drugs currently being developed allow the sufferers to go through therapy in a shorter period of time to achieve complete recovery, where current treatment can be completed in four to six months.
With TB case detection and sustainable treatment, the prevalence of the disease in the country is expected to be reduced.
He affirmed that Indonesia is currently actively carrying out the third phase of clinical trials of TB vaccines at five centers in the country. Vaccine development is targeted to be completed before 2029.
Earlier, at the High-Level Meeting on TB Innovation in Badung, Bali, on Monday (November 11, 2024), Sadikin underscored the need to complete the production of TB vaccines by the end of 2028 to achieve the target of eradicating TB by 2030.
He underscored that while awaiting the TB vaccines, Indonesia will boost screening to detect more cases in the country.
The minister has set a goal of identifying one million TB cases in 2025.
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Translator: Farhan Arda, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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