Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said in Makassar on Tuesday that the lightweight devices can be carried anywhere and used in public health centers, village offices or patients’ homes, enabling health workers to reach communities more effectively.
Each portable X-ray unit can screen roughly 3,000 people, he said, meaning the 20 units could allow up to 60,000 Makassar residents to be screened over the course of 2026.
Weighing about three kilograms, the devices are designed to support mobile and door-to-door screening programs, particularly in densely populated or hard-to-reach neighborhoods, Octavianus added.
He said the program is expected to encourage family members of suspected TB patients to undergo health checks, expanding early detection beyond tuberculosis alone.
Octavianus noted that screening visits can also identify other conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or heart and lung diseases, allowing patients to receive treatment at an early stage.
South Sulawesi, including Makassar, is among eight regions prioritized for TB elimination due to high case numbers, alongside East Java, Central Java, West Java, Banten, Jakarta, East Nusa Tenggara and North Sumatra.
Related news: Jakarta targets all neighborhood units to become TB Alert Villages
Government data show Makassar recorded about 9,885 TB cases in 2025. Authorities plan to intensify follow-up by tracing close contacts of confirmed patients, including all household members.
Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin welcomed the central government’s support and reaffirmed the city administration’s commitment to ensuring accessible healthcare services for residents.
He said sustained interventions and cross-sector cooperation could significantly reduce TB cases in the city within the next three years.
“Our target is clear: zero TB within two to three years. We will maximize interventions, and by 2029 we hope TB in Makassar can be eliminated at its roots,” Arifuddin said.
The city administration said it will continue prioritizing public access to healthcare programs, particularly those aimed at controlling and eliminating communicable diseases such as tuberculosis.
Related news: Free health checkup cover 52 mln people, boost TB screenings: minister
Translator: Nur Suhra Wardyah, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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