JakartaGlobe-Feb 2
President Prabowo Subianto has made reducing tuberculosis (TB) cases a top public health priority, as Indonesia remains the world’s second-largest contributor to global TB infections after India. Deputy Health Minister Benyamin Paulus Octavianus said on Monday that President Prabowo is deeply concerned about Indonesia’s high TB burden and has instructed the government to step up nationwide prevention and treatment efforts. The campaign is being positioned as a cornerstone of the administration’s health agenda, alongside flagship programs such as free nutritious meals for schoolchildren and initiatives to reduce stunting. “Indonesia ranks second globally. That is why the president has asked that TB reduction become a priority of his administration, with the clear goal of bringing the numbers down,” Benyamin told reporters after meeting Prabowo at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. Indonesia ranks second globally for TB cases after India, according to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025. The report estimates that 10.7 million people worldwide fell ill with TB in 2024, with 1.23 million deaths, making it one of the world’s top 10 causes of death and the leading cause of mortality from a single infectious agent. Indonesia accounted for about 10% of global TB cases, placing it among the eight highest-burden countries that together represent two-thirds of worldwide infections. Read more at: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-steps-up-tb-campaign-under-prabowo-as-cases-rank-second-worldwide
