Deputy Home Affairs Minister Wiyagus Urges Formation of TB-Alert Villages and Sub-Districts in Riau
Deputy Home Affairs Minister (Wamendagri) Akhmad Wiyagus is urging all regency and city governments in Riau Province to accelerate the establishment of Tuberculosis (TB) Alert Villages and Urban Wards. He considers the measure key to strengthening TB control efforts down to the village and neighbourhood level.
Through this approach, faster case detection, patient support and public education are expected to run more effectively.
“Perhaps at some point I will also hold a video call with the regents and mayors in Riau Province to convince them that establishing these Alert Villages will genuinely contribute to tuberculosis control,” he said in a written statement on Tuesday (4/8/2026).
He made the remarks during an interactive dialogue and coordination meeting with the Riau Provincial Government and regency and city governments across the province, aimed at strengthening multisectoral support for TB control efforts, held at Arifin Achmad Regional General Hospital in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Tuesday (4/8).
Wiyagus highlighted the low achievement in establishing TB Alert Villages in Riau Province. To date, only two villages have been formed, or around 0.11 per cent of the total villages and urban wards in the province. He therefore asked regional governments to strengthen cross-sectoral coordination so that the establishment of TB Alert Villages and Urban Wards can be realised soon.
He stressed that the programme’s success depends on synergy between the provincial government, regency and city governments, health offices and other stakeholders. Strong collaboration will make TB control more structured and reach communities more widely.
Wiyagus also asked district heads (camat), ward heads (lurah) and village heads to take an active role in leading TB control efforts in their respective areas. He underlined that establishing Alert Villages must be accompanied by concrete steps, from active case finding and patient accompaniment until treatment is completed, to raising public awareness of the dangers of TB.
“Here we have district heads who have heard directly about the data and what I have instructed today. Form them right away,” he asserted.
Wiyagus expressed hope that the commitment of regional leaders can strengthen the implementation of TB control programmes down to the neighbourhood (RT and RW) level. According to him, cross-sectoral collaboration will accelerate the achievement of TB control targets in Riau Province.
“If this is carried out, God willing, everything we want will proceed well,” he concluded.
Also attending the event were Deputy Health Minister (Wamenkes) Benjamin Paulus Octavianus, Acting Governor of Riau S.F. Hariyanto, House of Representatives Commission IX member Maharani, and Deputy Mayor of Pekanbaru Markarius Anwar.