Australia helps fight to erase tuberculosis

JAKARTA (JP): East Timor and East Nusa Tenggara are to receive A$4.6 million (US$2.7 million) in health aid from Australia to help fight tuberculosis.

The provinces have among the highest rates of tuberculosis in the country, with 700 out of every 100,000 people affected, according to Loekman Hakim Siregar, the head of the Ministry of Health's tuberculosis control division.

Australian Charg d'Affairs Leslie Rowe and the Director General of Communicable Disease Control at the Ministry of Health, Achmad Sujudi, signed a memorandum of understanding for the project on Friday.

Tuberculosis is the second most deadly disease in Indonesia after heart disease. Indonesia ranks third after India and China due to its high population among countries with high disease rates. There are an average of 175,000 deaths from the disease and 445,000 new cases each year in the country.

"However, only 30 percent to 40 percent of tuberculosis sufferers seek help in health centers," Achmad said.

Loekman said that 220 people out of every 100,000 members of the population were infected by tuberculosis -- with the exception of some provinces including East Timor and East Nusa Tenggara. He added a lack of nutrition and health service access were among the reasons for the high rates in the two eastern provinces.

Achmad acknowledged the number of tuberculosis cases had increased during the crisis but declined to mention any figures.

"A lack of nutrition and an unhealthy environment, such as in Jakarta's slum areas, can decrease body stamina to fight the disease," he explained.

The ministry and the World Health Organization have been working together to control the spread of tuberculosis since 1994. A project called Directly Observed Treatment, which involves family members and non-governmental organizational support, has been implemented in public health centers since then. More than 90 percent of sufferers in parts of Java and Sumatra have been cured through the scheme.

The goal of the signed project in East Timor and East Nusa Tenggara is to achieve an 85 percent cure rate by 2000.

"This program will assist in the containment and eradication of tuberculosis in the eastern islands where the problems are particularly acute," Rowe said of the planned provision of equipment, training and medical supplies.

Since the crisis began last year, Australia has given A$120 million in aid, including A$16 million to support the Safe Motherhood program and emergency medical supplies. (01)