Prabowo Receives Minister of Health Benjamin to Discuss Eradication of TB

Deputy Minister of Health Benjamin Paulus Octavianus answers a reporter's question at the Presidential Palace complex, Jakarta, Monday, February 2, 2026. (ANTARA/Cahya Sari)

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto received Deputy Minister of Health Benjamin Paulus Octavianus at the Presidential Palace complex, Jakarta, to discuss health issues, especially efforts to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) which is one of the government's priority programs.

"First, how to better eradicate tuberculosis (TB), and how, kanquick win the government of Mr. Prabowo and Mr. Gibran is how to handle tuberculosis cases is the main program, in addition to free nutritious meals. Because I am a lung specialist and the moment is right, he wants to know my input. That's all today," said Benjamin after the meeting, reported by ANTARA, Monday, February 2.

Benjamin explained that President Prabowo paid attention to the condition of TB in Indonesia which is still ranked second highest in the world after India.

Therefore, he said, the President asked that the treatment of TB be made a national priority with the aim of significantly reducing the number of cases.

In order to support these efforts, Benjamin said he had traveled to 12 provinces to socialize the TB treatment program with regional leaders.

The approach to treating TB is considered necessary to be carried out comprehensively so that the chain of transmission can be broken.

"If we are number two in the world, what? Do you want to be a TB-free country? After India, Indonesia. So Mr. President asked us to focus on handling it as best we can," he said.

In addition to eradicating TB, the Head of State also tasked Benjamin to oversee the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, especially in terms of implementation in the field and its relationship with the reduction of malnutrition (stunting).

The supervision includes coordination with the National Nutrition Agency to ensure that the implementation of the program is increasingly optimal.

Benjamin added that improved nutrition and reduction of malnutrition are expected to contribute to improving the quality of Indonesia's human resources.

This is in line with the government's goal to strengthen human development, including through the people's school program for low-income people.

"The point is that if we can reduce stunting, then increase the nutrition of Indonesian children, then our human resources will be better. So what is the purpose of people's schools? The lower class people are lifted, they are educated, they can get nutritious food, so that the quality of our human resources will get better and better. The point is yes," he said.