To Realize The Elimination Of Tuberculosis 2030, Jokowi Issues Presidential Regulation On TB Control

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy as Chair of the Steering Committee for TB Management (photo: doc Antara)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo has issued Presidential Regulation No. 67 of 2021 concerning the Control of TB (tuberculosis). This Presidential Regulation was made to realize the target of TB elimination by 2030.

In Presidential Decree 67/2021, Jokowi appointed Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy as Chairman of the Steering Committee and Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin as Chief Executive.

"By accelerating TB control, it is hoped that we will achieve the TB elimination target by 2030," said Muhadjir, quoted from the official website of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, Saturday, August 21.

Muhadjir explained that in the Presidential Regulation, Jokowi mandated his staff to conduct aggressive tracking to find TB sufferers.

Second, the stock of TB drugs must be available and the treatment is complete. Third, prevention efforts must be carried out across sectors so that in terms of infrastructure and superstructure they can be handled properly.

“TB is a global health problem. Indonesia is reported as the second largest contributor to TB cases in the world after India. This is certainly not an achievement but must be addressed immediately. Therefore, we need to solve it together and only with a strong commitment from all parties, God willing, we will be able to solve it and be able to protect the community from TB and achieve elimination by 2030, "said Muhadjir.

For information, as of 2020, most or 67 percent of people suffering from TB disease in Indonesia are aged 15 to 54 years. Then, 9 percent of TB sufferers are children under 15 years old.

Referring to the WHO Global TB Report 2020, 10 million people in the world suffer from tuberculosis and 1.2 million people die every year.

The TB control in Indonesia has been implemented for more than 70 years. However, Indonesia is still ranked as the country with the second highest TB burden in the world with around 845,000 cases per year with a death rate of 98,000 people or equivalent to 11 deaths per hour.