By Fitri Maryono

By Fitri Maryono

The Jakarta Post
Purwokerto, Central Java

Lacking funds makes the government find it hard to curb the
spread of the contagious tuberculosis (TB) which claimed 140,000
people nationwide per annum, according to an official.

Umar Fahmi Achmadi, Directorate General of Contagious Disease
Eradication and Environmental Sanitation said for the medicine
alone, the government must set aside Rp 35 billion (US$3,7
million) per year.

He, however, could not reveal how much money was really needed
to fund TB eradication programs. "The government also receives
assistance from various countries such as U.S, Australia, and the
Netherlands."

The medicine was always distributed for free to TB patients
through around 7,000 public health centers in the country, he
said. "Most of TB patients come from families of low income
bracket."

"Funding is the main contraint for the government to combat
the diseases. But we have made global commitment and cooperated
with other countries which have high TB cases to stop the spread
of this disease," Umar Fahmi told The Jakarta Post on the
sidelines of working meeting with Commission VII of the House of
Representaties in Jakarta.

Umar Fahmi revealed, the number of TB new patients had yet to
decrease significantly with around 500,000 new cases found this
year. "While the total number of Indonesians transmitted with
this diseases is estimated around 420,000."

However, he said the government would continue battling the
disease by intensifying integrated TB progam DOTS (Direct
Observed Therapy) shortcourse introduced in 1999.

The programme consist of five components: political
commitment, diagnosis by smear microscopy, well-organized
distribution of TB Drugs, directly observed treatment and good
reporting and recording systems.

"By intensifying this program, we hope we'll be able to
eliminate TB completely by 2010," Umar Fahmi said.

Last year in Purwokerto, Central Java

Direktur Pemberantasan Penyakit Menular Langsung(P2ML) Departemen
, Haikin Rahmat

Haikin Rahmat dalam acara pembahasan nasional penyakit menular
para pejabat Kantor Wilayah Departemen Kesehatan Provinsi se-
Indonesia yang berlangsung di Baturaden itu mengatakan saat ini
di Indonesia jumalh penderita TBC secara keseluruhan adalah
583.000 orang.

Yang menjadi masalah menurut Haikin Ramhat bahwa sebagian besar
masyarakat Indonesia sulit diajak untuk merealisasikan upaya
penanggulangan penyakit menular ini yang diantaranya dengan
menghjindari rokok. TBC menurutnya kebanyakan menyerang
masyarakat bawah terutama karena kurang memperhatikan kesehatan
lingkungan, perumahan kumuh, kemiskinan serta adanya kesenjangan
dalam memperoleh akses di rumahsakit-rumah sakit tertentu untuk
mendapatkan pelayanan kesehatan.

Departemen Kesehatan menurut Haikin telah berupaya menekan
seminimal mungkin jumlah korban dan penderita dengan cara
memberikan penyluhan hidup sehat dan pengobatan geratis. Namun
kendalanya adalah tidak setiap Puskesmas di daerah memberikan
informasi yang cukup mengenai fasilitas tersebut. Selain itu
masih banyak pula budaya malas berobat di kalangan masyarakat
bawah, karena takut biaya yang tinggi. Pihak Puskesmas dan Rumah
sakit menurutnya sering pula kurang cepat menangkap keluhan
masyarakat dan terkesan lambat dalam menangani kaum miskin.

Indonesia is still ranked third in the world after China and
India in the number of TB deaths.