The Indonesia's Government Accelerates Tuberculosis Handling in Papua

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesia's Ministry of Health is accelerating efforts to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) in Papua by strengthening early detection, improving treatment adherence, and intensifying cross-sector collaboration. During a working visit to Jayapura, Indonesia's Vice Minister of Health, Benjamin Paulus Octavianus, emphasized that these efforts are part of the government's priority program.

Indonesia's Vice Minister of Health, Benjamin Paulus Octavianus, emphasized that handling infectious diseases in Papua requires strong cross-sector collaboration. "The key is cross-sector collaboration to address national health priorities," Benjamin said.

Based on data received from the Ministry of Health on Wednesday, April 28, 2026, approximately 4% of national tuberculosis cases originate from Papua. In fact, most regions in Papua have not yet reached the national tuberculosis case detection target.

Furthermore, the national tuberculosis health service coverage has only reached 89.55%, indicating disparities in access and quality of services, particularly in geographically limited regions like Papua. To address this, the government is promoting a number of strategic measures, such as increasing mass screening and tuberculosis contact tracing through the Free Health Check (CKG).

Meanwhile, Indonesia's Vice Minister of Home Affairs, Akhmad Wiyagus, emphasized the importance of regional policy support in accelerating tuberculosis elimination. "We encourage regional governments to immediately establish Regional Action Plans and establish TB Control Acceleration Teams, so that interventions in the field can be more targeted and measurable," he said.

The Governor of Papua, Mathius D. Fakhiri, expressed the regional government's readiness to strengthen TB control efforts. "We are committed to working together to address the tuberculosis problem, which remains a major challenge in Papua. With central government support and cross-sector collaboration, we are optimistic that tuberculosis management can progress better," he said.