Prevent Early Death, Screening for Inherited Heart Disease in Children Expanded to 27 Cities
JAKARTA - Congenital heart disease (PJB) is one of the abnormalities that have been present since babies are born and often go undetected early. This condition occurs due to disorders in the structure or function of the heart during the development period in the womb.
Although some cases can be handled well if they are known early, not a few children are only diagnosed after severe symptoms appear. In fact, PJB is one of the highest causes of death in the first year of life.
Director of Non-Communicable Diseases of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmidzi, M.Epid, said that screening targeting elementary school students is a promotional and preventive step to expand early detection of TB.
"Early detection activities for school children are one of the efforts to educate and increase public awareness, as well as strengthen early detection so that children with PJB can get the right treatment as early as possible," said Nadia when reviewing the PJB screening at SDN 03 Makasar, East Jakarta, Thursday, February 12, 2026.
He explained that the prevalence of PJB is estimated to reach 9-10 cases per 1,000 live births. This figure makes PJB the most common congenital disorder found in newborns. Therefore, expanding screening is important so that cases can be found before they cause serious complications.
Since 2025, PJB examinations have been included in the screening list of the Free Health Check (CKG) program. Nadia also expressed her support for the initiative of the Indonesian Society of Cardiovascular Specialists (PERKI) initiated by the Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease Working Group, in collaboration with GE HealthCare.
"Collaboration between professional organizations, industry, and government is the key to improving the health status of Indonesian children," he said.
This mass screening was carried out simultaneously from January 23 to February 14, 2026 in 27 cities, from Aceh to Jayapura. In addition to aiming to find cases early, this activity is also part of national data collection.
The Chairman of the Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease Working Group of PERKI, Dr. Oktavia Lilysari, SpJP(K)., FIHA, said that his party wanted to build a more comprehensive national registry of congenital heart disease.
"Through free PJB screening that is carried out serially in 27 cities, PERKI is leading the effort to screen the largest number of children under the age of 18 in Indonesia. With this activity, it is hoped that children with PJB can be screened earlier so that treatment can be carried out faster and have a significant impact on the quality of life of children with PJB," said the doctor, who is familiarly called Vivi.
In its implementation, GE HealthCare Indonesia provides support for ultrasound equipment to help the detection process. This imaging technology is considered capable of improving the accuracy of children's heart examinations, especially in areas with limited health facilities.
Meanwhile, the specialist doctor of heart and blood vessels, consultant pediatric cardiology and congenital heart disease, dr. Asmoko Resta Permana, Sp.JP(K), FIHA, reminded parents not to ignore symptoms that seem mild but repeated.
According to him, children who often experience repeated coughing and fever in a year need special attention.
"Phlegmatic cough due to inflammation in the throat, viral or bacterial infections, but if there is a congenital heart disease, there is a leak," said Asmoko on the same occasion.
He explained that in certain cases of PJB, there is a leak in the septum or heart blood vessels so that blood flow to the lungs becomes excessive. This condition can cause the lungs to "flood" with fluid and trigger a persistent or recurring cough.
"So if our lungs are flooded, bacteria love to breed there. So he also has a cough, a recurrent fever, that's what we call it, which we call pneumonia in medical terms," he said.
Other symptoms to watch out for include children who are easily out of breath, seem tired quickly when doing activities, or have the habit of squatting to regulate their breathing. In toddlers, the typical sign can be bluish color around the mouth, nails, or face due to low oxygen levels in the blood. In severe conditions, children can experience a decrease in consciousness to convulsions.
Asmoko emphasized that delays in diagnosis often occur because the symptoms resemble common respiratory infections or tuberculosis. In fact, without proper treatment, this condition can be fatal.
He appealed to parents to immediately take their children to a health facility if they find complaints such as repeated coughing and fever, gasping for breath even with light activity, or a change in skin color to bluish. Detection and intervention as early as possible are considered very important for the quality of life of children with congenital heart disease.