Indonesia eyes 100 pct TB contact tracing to eliminate disease by 2030

TB is not just a health issue; it directly impacts productivity and the quality of our human resources,

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Ministry of Health has mandated 100 percent contact tracing for the families and close contacts of tuberculosis (TB) patients as part of an intensified effort to eliminate the disease by 2030.

The policy is designed to break the chain of transmission by ensuring that everyone with close exposure to TB patients is identified, screened, and treated when necessary.

Deputy Minister of Health Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said in a statement received on Thursday that Indonesia's TB response has traditionally focused on treating patients after they become ill, while less attention has been given to preventing further transmission.

To address this gap, the ministry will expand contact tracing through the nationwide Free Health Screening (Cek Kesehatan Gratis or CKG) program, supported by portable X-ray units and rapid diagnostic testing.

Benjamin said funding for the 2026 contact-tracing program has been fully secured and called on regional governments, private healthcare providers, professional organizations, and community health workers to support its implementation.

Indonesia remains one of the countries with the world's highest TB burdens. Based on 2024 data, the country accounts for around 10 percent of global TB cases, with an estimated 1.08 million infections and approximately 126,000 deaths each year.

Benjamin said the government's accelerated TB elimination strategy rests on four key pillars: expanding case detection through the CKG program, ensuring prompt treatment for confirmed patients, providing preventive therapy for close contacts, and strengthening cross-sector collaboration down to the village level.

Head of the ministry's Health Development Policy Agency, Asnawi Abdullah, said Indonesia has made notable progress over the past five years, with TB case notifications increasing by 31 percent and the number of patients receiving treatment rising by 27 percent.

According to Asnawi, the improvements were driven by more active case-finding and the expansion of the CKG program, which has reached tens of millions of people.

However, he noted that significant challenges remain, including detecting infections among high-risk groups, reducing social stigma, improving access to healthcare in remote areas, and ensuring patients complete their treatment.

"TB is not just a health issue; it directly impacts productivity and the quality of our human resources," Asnawi said.

To strengthen national self-reliance in TB control, the ministry is also supporting the development of domestically produced TB-PCR diagnostic kits, collaborating with universities on vaccine research, and expanding microbiology laboratory capacity in several provinces.

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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Raka Adji

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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