RI govt calls for equal access to protect vulnerable TB-HIV groups

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Health Ministry called for equitable healthcare for vulnerable groups with tuberculosis and HIV, saying stigma, discrimination and fragmented services continue to limit access to treatment and worsen health outcomes.

“These vulnerable groups face structural barriers, stigma and even violence that restrict access to healthcare,” Health Ministry official Imran Pambudi said on Sunday.

He said wider access to antiretroviral therapy has increased life expectancy, with about 39,000, or 7.7 percent, of Indonesia's more than 500,000 people living with HIV now aged over 50.

The number is expected to keep rising through 2030, he said, adding health services must address age-related conditions, including cardiometabolic disease, cognitive impairment, osteoporosis and complex drug interactions.

Older people living with HIV often visit multiple clinics for antiretroviral therapy, diabetes and hypertension treatment, and cardiovascular screening, Pambudi said.

He said fragmented services increase costs and travel time while raising the risk that patients discontinue treatment.

Tuberculosis among older adults is also becoming a growing health burden, he said, citing global data showing people aged 65 and older accounted for 21 percent of TB cases and 23 percent of TB deaths in 2023.

“Despite declining TB incidence in some regions, tuberculosis among older adults requires special attention,” he said.

Symptoms are often nonspecific and mistaken for aging or chronic illnesses, delaying diagnosis and allowing transmission to continue, Pambudi said.

He urged stronger active case finding through elderly community health posts, nursing homes and primary healthcare centers, alongside training to improve TB detection and manage polypharmacy safely.

Community-based services have improved trust, case detection and treatment retention, he said, calling for sustainable funding and stronger supply chains and health data systems.

Pambudi also urged disability-friendly healthcare facilities, accessible information and training for healthcare workers to improve communication with people with disabilities.

He said integrating HIV and TB services with mental healthcare, chronic disease management, social protection and rehabilitation would reduce patients' burden and improve treatment outcomes.

Pambudi called for funding to support patient-centered, community-led healthcare models.

15. He said quality-of-life indicators, including treatment retention, viral suppression among older adults, lower gender-based violence rates and better disability access, should become key performance measures.

Indonesia has strong community networks, but the challenge is translating them into policies that reach vulnerable groups, he said.

“By putting people at the center of the HIV and TB response, we can reduce cases while restoring dignity, health and life expectancy for everyone,” he said.

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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Editor: Rahmad Nasution

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