274 RWs In Jakarta Have TB Alert Status

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin together with related officials/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - Head of the DKI Jakarta Health Office, Ani Ruspitawati, said that currently there are 247 RWs in Jakarta with a standby status for tuberculosis or tuberculosis. The government has targeted the priority of controlling TB by the government.

"We have encouraged the control of the TB to be more community-based, so we already have 274 RWs whose status is on standby for TB," said Ani at Tanah Tinggi Flats, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, May 14.

After the inauguration of the White Forces who proactively serve health to community members, especially for the elderly, these officers will cooperate with local residents in TB alleviation.

"The White Forces will cooperate with women whose function is to serve as TB cadres to continue to find cases and then after the discovery of the case, educate, invite people who are in close contact with TB education to want to be examined," said Ani.

In addition, the White Forces will also assist TB sufferers to complete drug consumption for six months for TB control in Jakarta.

Continuing, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that humans have been exposed to tuberculosis for thousands of years. TB is also the disease with the most fatalities.

"In the last 100 years, 1 billion people have died. Now TB in the world 1 year 1 million have died. In Indonesia more than 100 thousand people die every year. This is huge, bigger than COVID," said Budi.

Therefore, until now the government continues to screen TB for the public to reduce the number of cases in Indonesia.

"Just like COVID. So it must be found with screening. I ask for help from white troops if they can screen TB. TBC has a cure for it. So once screening, taking medicine. Because the medicine can stop it from spreading and can heal," he added.