"We have appointed Tangerang City as a pilot project to overcome and reduce TB cases. The city has integrated this program with other parties, making it an example for other regions," Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono stated in Tangerang on Wednesday.
The program implemented by the city is based on the Mayor of Tangerang's Decree Number 22 concerning the establishment of the TB Eradication Team.
Additionally, the Ayo Bersama Masyarakat Atasi TB (ASMARA TBC) program effectively engages the community by accelerating early detection, providing assistance to patients until recovery, and raising public awareness.
"Tangerang is also a city that has met the Minimum Service Standard (SPM) target of 100 percent and is one of the highest in Indonesia," Harbuwono affirmed.
Apart from Tangerang, several other cities, such as Jakarta, Brebes, Medan, and Surabaya, have been recognized for their successful TB management.
"We will seek other areas to serve as examples in TB handling, especially with their local content programs for the community to easily understand the goal," he remarked.
He acknowledged that accelerating TB elimination requires pentahelix collaboration, involving the government, community, academics, the private sector, and the media.
"TB Alert Villages are the key. The community must be at the forefront, starting from early detection to preventing transmission," he emphasized.
On the same occasion, Tangerang Mayor Sachrudin stated that his administration continues to offer innovations in health services, especially in TB handling.
"We strengthen the presence of TB Alert Villages to increase the community's understanding of TB prevention and treatment, along with eliminating stigma against TB survivors," he affirmed.
Earlier, the ministry's Director of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, Ina Agustina Isturini, stated that data as of early March 2025 showed that as many as 889 thousand, or 81 percent of cases, had been identified out of the goal of 1,092,000 TB case detections.
In 2025, the government aims to reduce TB incidence by 50 percent, aligning with the global target of 163 cases per 100 thousand population. Currently, Indonesia's incidence rate stands at 388 per 100 thousand population.
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Translator: Achmad Irfan, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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