President Joko Widodo shows strong leadership, announces package of interventions to end TB in Indonesia

As the leaders of the two highest TB burden countries, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, through their leadership and direct involvement in their respective national TB responses, have given hope to the entire world that we can end TB by 2030.
 
In the special meeting on TB elimination held by President Joko Widodo on 18 July, there are three main interventions highlighted:

• The Minister of Health, Minister of Interior and Minister of Village Development should ensure TB patients receive quality TB care and expand the notification to achieve Minimum Service Standards for local government.
• Develop shelter for TB patients who are in the intensive phase of treatment and have socio-economic constraints
• The President of Indonesia will rally for and support the campaign that will motivate and enable people with TB to complete the TB medication course.

“Indonesia has time and again proved its stalwart leadership both at home and abroad in ending TB. Indonesia is setting a strong example for others and Stop TB Partnership is ready to support all TB elimination efforts in Indonesia. As a TB high burden country and as the current chair of ASEAN, Indonesia will have a great opportunity to showcase its leadership in ending TB at the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting on TB in New York during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). We hope that President Joko Widodo will join the Stop TB advocacy initiative of the 'Coalition of Leaders' in September 2023 in New York”, said Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership
 
From issuing a Presidential Decree in 2020 to prioritizing TB as a key health topic during its G20 presidency in 2022, these latest efforts are a part of the long-standing commitment by the Indonesian Government in the fight against TB by using a multi-sectoral approach.
 
According to the Minister of Health, Indonesia is currently working with partners to secure the development of three potential new vaccines.
 
Indonesia is ranked as the second-largest TB burden country in the world after India with an estimated number of cases reaching 969,000. Since the end of 2022, the Indonesian government has accelerated detection levels, from previous counts of 540,000 to now 720,000 people with TB.
 
With this great news, we leave you all with “Nafas Harapan” (Breath of Hope), an amazing documentary film about TB Survivor in Indonesia.

Source: Stop TB Partnership