The community is one of the components to be empowered in TB case finding and treatment, in addition to other parties, Director of Infectious Diseases at the ministry Ina Agustina Isturini said on Monday.
Therefore, her party, together with the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration (Kemendes PDTT), is pushing several efforts, including the use of Village Funds for TB elimination and TB Alert Villages.
Isturini said that one of the challenges to case finding is the large number of patients, but small or delayed case reporting.
Therefore, community involvement is needed, besides increasing diagnostic capacity and early detection, she added.
As of early March 2025, her party has detected 889 thousand TB cases. The figure accounts for 81 percent of the detection target of 1.092 million in 2024.
The ministry has also established cooperation with various parties to strengthen detection at the regional level through community and community participation, she added.
"We formed Tuberculosis Prevention Partnership Forum (WKPTB) at the central level and TB control acceleration team at the provincial, district, and city levels led by the regional head," she informed.
She said that such teams have been raised in 21 provinces and 142 districts/cities, with 12 provinces and 82 districts/cities implementing the Regional Action Plan for TB control. The remaining 17 provinces and 372 districts/cities have not formed the teams.
"This is our challenge. Hopefully, the World's TB Day can be a turning point to remind all parties to accelerate TB (handling), including in the formation of teams and Regional Action Plans," Isturini added.
Regarding the improvement of early detection in the regions, her party is also trying to increase the capacity of cadres and health centers to optimize contact investigations.
"Then raise the issue of improving health services and social protection for people with TB. Then advocate for policies by covering the situation and real actions of community-based TB eradication," she said.
These efforts aim to address problems related to TB control, including the stigma that makes people hesitant to seek treatment, limited human health resources, and lack of logistics.
Related news: Indonesia involved in global TB vaccine research: ministry
Related news: Ministry detects 889 thousand TB cases by March 2025: Official
Translator: Mecca Yumna N P, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
