Indonesia is intensifying its efforts to combat tuberculosis (TB) as the nation observes World TB Day. With the second-highest TB burden globally, Indonesia faces around 1.09 million TB cases and 125,000 deaths annually, emphasizing the urgent need for action.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin highlighted the country’s commitment to addressing the TB crisis through national strategies and health system enhancements. Indonesia aims to identify and treat one million TB patients within a year, targeting a 90% treatment success rate.
To achieve its goal of eliminating TB by 2030, Indonesia has developed the National TB Strategic Plan 2025-2029 in collaboration with the World Health Organization. The plan focuses on strengthening the national TB response, improving case detection, enhancing treatment outcomes, and engaging communities.
Regulatory and financing reforms are underway to support Indonesia’s anti-TB initiatives. Recommendations include updating presidential regulations, securing sustainable funding, and enhancing coordination to bridge the gap between estimated and reported TB cases. Surveillance and data systems have been bolstered to ensure accurate reporting and effective resource allocation.
Community-level interventions are being scaled up to prevent new infections and improve treatment adherence. Indonesia is also investing in vaccine development, with the M72/AS01E TB vaccine candidate in phase 3 clinical trials. Health experts anticipate its potential approval by 2028 or 2029, offering promise in TB prevention and treatment.
