Regular programme reviews are essential to continuously improve programme achievements and results. The last JEMM review of the National TB Programme was conducted on early 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. The JEMM 2022 review focused on understanding what has happened and what should be done by all stakeholders and decision makers involved in the TB control programme.
WHO Indonesia supported the Ministry of Health in preparing the review, including conducting the TB Epidemiological Review 2022 in October 2022. The review identified three critical recommendations, including improving routine case notification data quality, strengthening linkages between health information systems, and implementing an accurate disease burden estimation activity. The detailed findings and recommendations were discussed in the programme review as evidence and source material to develop recommendations on TB surveillance strengthening.
The JEMM review was held in December 2022 with support from around 60 external and internal reviewers consisting of experts, UN agencies, The Global Fund, USAID, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, STOP TB Partnership, Global TB Caucus, KNCV, FHI360, CCM, Academicians, CSOs and community representatives. The review found that the National TB program had addressed most of the challenges and recommendations from the JEMM 2020. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesia had a strong TB care and prevention programme, and all technical areas outlined in the End TB Strategy were being implemented. However, Indonesia is not on track to end TB by 2030, as targeted by the End TB Strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals, since tuberculosis in the nation is driven by under-nutrition, smoking, diabetes mellitus and HIV infection.
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The JEMM 2022 team reported their findings and results to the Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, on 13 December 2023. Key recommendations included the need to strengthen TB screening and active case finding, strengthen TB management capacity and support systems, create an episodic national health insurance payment system for primary health care, and develop, implement, and sustain a communication or social mobilization plan to partner with communities.
The findings and recommendations, which cover 15 thematic areas in detail, were reported and discussed with all TB partners, stakeholders and community organizations and representative on 14 December 2023.
The Global Fund and USAID generously supported the TB JEMM activity.
Written by Yoana Anandita, WHO Indonesia National Consultant for TB