Deputy Interior Minister: Local Government Commitment Crucial to Accelerate TB Eradication

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Interior Minister (Wamendagri) Akhmad Wiyagus has emphasised the importance of local government (Pemda) commitment in accelerating the resolution of tuberculosis (TB) as part of efforts to protect the public while supporting national development. Wiyagus asserted that the success of TB elimination heavily depends on regional leadership, particularly in integrating TB control policies into local planning and budgeting. “Tuberculosis is not merely a health issue, but it will also impact public productivity, poverty issues, and the improvement of human resources (HR) quality. This must be addressed seriously because it can hinder the national development agenda,” said Wiyagus in his statement in Jakarta on Monday. This emphasis was delivered during a press conference on World Tuberculosis Day 2026 at the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) office in Jakarta. He explained that the government’s commitment to tackling TB has been affirmed through Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 67 of 2021. This regulation serves as the foundation for local governments to take concrete steps in protecting the public from the TB threat. These efforts include strengthening planning, increasing budget allocations, and empowering local apparatus down to the village and sub-district levels. With this approach, he said, TB handling is expected to proceed more effectively, from case detection and treatment to integrated prevention. Wiyagus reiterated that Indonesia still ranks second in the world for the number of TB cases. Therefore, he emphasised the urgency of more massive and coordinated acceleration, including through cross-sector collaboration. “We must be solid with other stakeholders so that TB elimination can truly be realised together,” he stated.