Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important health problem in Indonesia and poses complex problems medically and socially, economically, and culturally. Based on WHO Global TB Report 2020, Indonesia is country with the second highest TB burden in the world .
On 26 October 2022, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia became a co-chair of the high-level meeting for “Renewed TB Response in The WHO South-East Asia Region”.
Ministry of Health Republic of Indonesia co-chairs the High Level Meeting to address the urgent need to accelerate progress towards ending TB by 2030, 26 October 2021 (Credit: WHO SEARO).
The Indonesian Ministry of Health, with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India, the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal, and the WHO Southeast Asia Regional Office jointly led this activity.
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO -South-East Asia Region, in her keynote speech, stated that "Immediate steps are needed to scale-up preventive, diagnostic and treatment services for TB, and significantly bolster social protection measures while specifically addressing undernutrition among the vulnerable populations."
In his opening speech, Minister of Health, Indonesia, Mr Budi Gunadi Sadikin, stated that "Indonesia is ready to play its role, and I would like to call all of you to act together with a solid cooperation among the Member States of South-East Asia region. I am confident that we will both #EndTB and achieve the targets of SDGs".
Dr. Maxi Rein Rondonuwu , Director General of Disease Control and Prevention Ministry of Health, presented the commitment of the Government of Indonesia to eliminate TB. TB elimination has always been part of the priority health issues in Indonesia. However, challenges still arise from the uneven distribution of over 270 million people, cultural and traditional diversity, natural disaster-prone location of the country, and the two-layer decentralised governance structure.
To address challenges, Indonesia aims to implement the following six strategic approaches continuously:
- Strengthen the central, provincial, and district/city government’s commitment and leadership;
- Improve the access to quality and patient-centred TB services;
- Intensify health measures for TB prevention and control;
- Expand research, development, and innovation;
- Enhance the contributions from the community, stakeholders (private sectors, local and international NGO, universities, professional organization and ministries), as well as other multisectoral partners in TB control and
- Strengthen TB programme management.
Dr Maxi reiterated the strong commitment from the government of Indonesia demonstrated through Presidential decree no 67-year 2021 to #EndTB. Based on this decree, Indonesia established a multi-sectoral coordinating team led by the Coordinating Ministry of Human Development and Cultural Affairs, to conceptualise the decree's implementation.
The virtual day-long meeting was concluded by the Ministers of Health signing on a 'Ministerial Statement of Commitment' unanimously committing to actualise and intensify essential interventions.
The Ministers committed to a multi-sectoral and whole-of-society approach to end TB with national programmes led by the highest possible political levels and closely monitor achievement of targets.
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