It Is Estimated That There Are 104 Thousand TB Cases In Central Java, Only 72 Thousand Have Been Found

ILUSTration - Examination of patients with tuberculosis or tuberculosis. (ANTARA PHOTO/Arif Firmansyah)

JAKARTA - The Central Java Provincial Government through the Health Office has so far found at least 72,000 cases of tuberculosis or tuberculosis from the target findings of 104,000 cases.

"So, we still have around 32,000 homework in Central Java," said Head of the Central Java Health Office Yunita Dyah Suminar, during the TOSS (Forfeeding, Treating, Until Recovery) TB campaign, in Semarang, Sunday.

According to him, the TOSS campaign is intended to make people care about TB, including if they find members of the community who experience TB symptoms for treatment.

He asked the public not to be afraid of tuberculosis, because the government has guaranteed free treatment for TB sufferers.

"So this 'campign' aim is how people are 'aware' of what TB symptoms are? What is the way to cure it? Free healing for TB," he said.

Not only TB sufferers, he said, examinations must also be carried out on 10-14 people who have close contact with sufferers.

"Like COVID-19, it used to be 'tracing', yes, this is the same. Because this tuberculosis disease is certainly very contagious," he said.

Currently, he said, the Central Java Provincial Government does have a Mobile Specialist Program (Speling) combined with Free Health Checks (CKG), but it requires the role of district/city governments to village governments.

"Then the people of health cadres immediately moved to be able to find people who might be affected by TB," said Yunita.

Assistant for Government and People's Welfare of the Central Java Regional Secretariat, Iwanuddin Iskandar, added that cross-sector synergies are needed to overcome TB, even to the village government level.

"Desa nanti harus siap untuk bersinergi untuk mengatasi itu semua. Siapa yang punya masyarakat tentu yang tahu adalah desa. Siapa yang tahu dia kena TB dan sebagainya," katanya.

He said that the steps taken related to TB were not only medically and with healing, but also important psychological assistance and socialization to the community.

"Do not isolate people who have TB, are embraced properly, do not spread the information, treat it thoroughly. Then mitigate the location area which has the potential for TB," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy for Coordination for Strengthening Characters and Self-Association of the Ministry of PMK Coordinator Prof. Warsito said that the TOSS campaign was carried out in eight provinces.

"We all know that TB is a infectious disease that must both be prevented and this is a global 'challenging' not only for Indonesia, and Indonesia ranks second after India," he said.

Therefore, he said, the central government together with all provincial governments, district/city governments jointly fight and campaign for TB TOSS.