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Do not overlook threat of TB during COVID-19 pandemic, says Jokowi
Indonesia has the third-largest number of TB patients in the world after India and China.
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Illustration of tuberculosis (TB). (Kompas.com/File)
T
he prevalent threat of tuberculosis (TB) in Indonesia should not be overlooked amid the scramble to stem the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said on Tuesday.
Jokowi called for “aggressive tracing” of suspected TB cases across the country by replicating the contact-tracing method devised to detect novel coronavirus cases, he said during a limited Cabinet meeting.
He emphasized the gravity of the situation as Indonesia still has the third-largest number of TB patients in the world after India and China.
“We probably might have to detect both COVID-19 and TB cases simultaneously.”
He added that he would immediately issue presidential or government regulations if they were needed to ensure a steady supply of TB medication and expedite case detection.
Read also: Study predicts surge in HIV, TB and malaria deaths amid COVID-19 pandemic
“Our COVID-19 principles should also [be applied] to TB, since it’s still a major concern,” Jokowi said, calling on state officials and other related stakeholders to tackle the TB emergency with the same zeal as ongoing COVID-19 mitigation.
With an estimated 1.2 million people with TB, Indonesia accounts for about 10 percent of global TB cases. About 760,000 (49 percent of the global total) people die from TB each year in the Asia Pacific, and more than 65,000 people die in Indonesia every year.
The recent reallocation of resources to COVID-19 mitigation has made it difficult for TB patients to access needed healthcare services.
In April, the government said it would use modified diagnostics test kits for TB available at more than 100 hospitals and public health centers to detect COVID-19 cases.
