The business sector should play a more active role in assisting the government to resolve health issues, such as tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS and malaria, Tahir Foundation chairman Dato Sri Tahir says.

'€œIndonesia still needs help with its family planning program [locally known as KB] as well as support for the treatment of TB, HIV/AIDS and malaria,'€ said Tahir during a visit to Hasan Sadikin General Hospital in Bandung on Wednesday.

The founder of the donor foundation, under the auspices of the Mayapada Group, has invested US$75 million in public health domestically.

The funds were channeled through the Global Fund, an international donor organization that supports efforts to curb TB, HIV/AIDS and malaria in 140 countries, including Indonesia.

According to Tahir, $65 million will be allocated to projects relating to the diseases, and the rest will be used to improve the family planning program.

Tahir said Microsoft owner Bill Gates had been invited to Indonesia, and was expected in April, in an effort to encourage other businesspeople in Indonesia to be involved in the cause.

In line with the Tahir Foundation'€™s commitments, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation also pledged the same amount of aid through the Global Fund and $10 million for the family planning program.

They inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2013, which pledged the distribution of $150 million for the next five years.

'€œWe will focus family planning in Java due to the high maternal mortality rate given the lack of hygiene and less skilled midwives,'€ Tahir added.

Global Fund external relations director Christoph Benn said his organization had provided aid to Indonesia for the past 10 years.

'€œFor example, 40 percent of the national TB program in Indonesia is funded through the Global Fund. We are extremely grateful to Tahir and his foundation,'€ Benn said.

He added the assistance was important, especially those who faced financial difficulties.

'€œProvide them with the right drugs, including for multidrug resistance TB, which can be very costly,'€ said Benn.

Meanwhile, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital executive director Bayu Wahyudi said the assistance, through the Global Fund, had helped establish medical facilities, clinics and diagnostic facilities.

West Java Health Agency head Alma Lucyati said the aid proved the effectiveness of the cooperation between the provincial administration and businesspeople.

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