PCO spokesperson Hariqo Wibawa Saputra said here on Thursday that the program is expected to break the chain of TB transmission.
“Approximately 125 thousand Indonesians die each year from TB. This means we lose more than 15 people every hour,” he highlighted after a working visit to Tangerang city to review the development of TB cases.
He said that the government has prepared comprehensive services, from screening to complete treatment of TB, all free of charge.
Saputra also praised health workers who voluntarily accompany patients until they recover. He emphasized that their role is very important and deserving of recognition from local governments.
“Tangerang city could serve as an example for the 514 other districts/cities,” he added.
Meanwhile, Tangerang Mayor Sachrudin said that the city’s success in reducing TB cases is the result of cross-sector collaboration down to the village level.
Innovations such as home renovations for TB patients and educational campaigns at schools have led to the city emerging as a national model for TB reduction, he stated.
In 2024, TB incidence was recorded at five cases per one thousand residents, with a 92 percent recovery rate and 100 percent service coverage.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Health, Dante Saksono Harbuwono, emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration and the role of health workers in the early detection of infections, especially in patients showing no symptoms.
Currently, Indonesia has the second-highest number of TB cases in the world at over one million, with 125 thousand deaths annually.
TB patients become non-infectious after a month-long course of treatment, so stigma against them must be eliminated to ensure the effective management of the disease.
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Translator: Andi, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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