JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy expressed his concern about the high number of cases of tuberculosis (lung disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis) in Indonesia, which has a high risk of infecting children.
“The high number of TB cases in Indonesia puts children at risk of contracting it. For children, TB disease can cause children to fail to thrive, chronic malayse, and even death," said Muhadjir at the Socialization event for the Acceleration of Stunting Reduction and Tuberculosis Overcoming which was followed through the Coordinating Ministry's Youtube Official online in Jakarta, Tuesday.
Muhadjir emphasized that this needs attention, because tuberculosis (TBC) does not have a speed like COVID-19 which can easily make people suspicious and is easy to detect, but the symptoms cannot be underestimated.
He said it was often found in lower-class families who thought the disease was not a serious problem, so they did not take preventive measures from an early age for their children.
"Often in the family, especially those who can't afford it, they take it for granted, for example, even though their mother or father suffers from tuberculosis, the children are still together without any early prevention for them," he said.
While the cases of death due to tuberculosis in children, the highest occurred in the age group of children under five.
According to him, there are five groups of children who are more at risk of contracting the disease, namely children living with TB sufferers, children with poor nutritional status, children at the age of toddlers, and children who have not been vaccinated against BCG, and children suffering from HIV.
He hopes that by knowing the condition of TB in children in Indonesia, all parties can really pay attention to every case of tuberculosis that does not only focus on the sufferer, but also close contact with other people.
"By looking at this fact, we must really pay attention to each TB case, not only focusing on the patient, but also close contact or close association with the patient must also be secured immediately, otherwise the danger of TB is much worse than COVID-19," " he said.
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