Govt to monitor weekly progress of TB control program across regions

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The central and regional governments will conduct joint weekly monitoring to track the progress of the Tuberculosis (TB) control program across Indonesia, ensuring optimal progress in the efforts to combat the disease.

In a statement received in Jakarta on Monday, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the weekly monitoring aims to accelerate diagnosis and treatment, as well as increase the coverage of the infectious disease control program.

"Through routine monitoring between the central and regional governments, we can evaluate the measures taken and ensure that TB management is effectively implemented across the country," Sadikin remarked.

The minister explained that weekly monitoring activities would involve all relevant stakeholders, including provincial and district health offices, hospitals, community health centers (puskesmas), civil society organizations, and local communities.

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The focus of this monitoring will be on case detection, which includes TB screening for at-risk populations and contact investigations by healthcare workers or community health cadres, with a minimum of eight people being tested for each TB case.

Meanwhile, Budi explained that the treatment includes patient support by healthcare workers or cadres until the patient is fully recovered from TB, as well as the implementation of the Health Minimum Service Standards (SPM), which cover access to diagnostics and logistics across all healthcare facilities.
As an initial step, the government will intensify efforts to identify TB cases, particularly in high-risk groups, such as those living in densely populated areas and those who have had close contact with TB patients.

"Early detection of TB is better. Now, the treatment is effective so that we can treat it quickly, and the patient can recover without spreading it to others," Sadikin remarked.

The minister also highlighted that case detection efforts will be combined with public awareness and education on the importance of getting checked in the event of experiencing symptoms such as persistent cough, fever, and weight loss to reduce transmission and mortality from TB.

"This (screening) is something we need to improve because TB sometimes has no symptoms. However, if someone in our community has TB, it is better to ask the health center for a check-up because you might be infected too," the minister remarked.

Sadikin expressed hope that intensive monitoring and sound coordination between the central and regional governments will help Indonesia achieve its target of detecting one million active TB cases by 2025, which is one of President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programs.