Indonesia ranks 3rd in the world's leprosy cases, Minister of Health Budi: Don't be ashamed to check, this is not a curse

JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized the importance of accelerating screening and surveillance of leprosy in Indonesia. This step is considered crucial considering that Indonesia still ranks third in the world for the number of leprosy cases.

According to global data, the position is after India and Brazil.

Budi explained that several years ago the number of leprosy cases in Indonesia reached around 16,000 cases. He assessed that for infectious diseases, Indonesia is often in a high position globally, including for tuberculosis (TB).

"For infectious diseases, the key is actually two, screening and surveillance," said Budi when attending the World Leprosy Day commemoration in Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, March 11.

He said that the leprosy screening program is now also included in the Free Health Check (CKG) program.

"I have put it into CKG. All CKG programs now I also add specifically for leprosy," he said.

Budi said that there were still many people who were reluctant to undergo screening because of the stigma that leprosy was a curse. In fact, scientifically, the disease has long been known for its cause.

According to him, leprosy is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, which has similarities with the bacterium that causes TB, namely Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

"In the past, because people could not explain the cause, leprosy was considered a curse. In fact, this is an infectious disease like tuberculosis," said Budi.

To encourage the discovery of cases, the Ministry of Health will even provide incentives for regions that have successfully found the most leprosy cases.

"Find as many as possible so that we can quickly treat it," he said.

Treatment for leprosy, said Budi, can be done using antibiotics such as Rifampicin and Dapsone with a therapy period of about six months.

In addition, the Ministry of Health has also strengthened the surveillance system in the eastern part of Indonesia with genome sequencing technology. This step is taken because some people in the region have sensitivity to the drug dapsone.

This condition is known as Dapsone Hypersensitivity Syndrome (DHS) which in certain cases can be fatal if not handled properly.

Budi emphasized that patients diagnosed with leprosy must immediately undergo treatment until it is completed. Meanwhile, people who have close contact with patients will also be given preventive drugs, similar to the treatment of tuberculosis.

However, he assessed that the biggest challenge in eliminating leprosy in Indonesia is still related to social stigma against sufferers.

"Many still consider leprosy sufferers to be sinners, ostracized, even chained. In fact, this is a disease that can be cured," said Budi.