Indonesia Develops Breast Cancer National Action Plan 2025-2034 to Reduce Mortality

Jakarta — The Ministry of Health is developing and disseminating the National Action Plan (RAN) for Breast Cancer 2025–2034 to pursue World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, targeting a reduction in breast cancer mortality by 2.5 per cent annually.

Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono stated in Jakarta on Monday that there is a disparity in breast cancer mortality rates between developed and developing countries due to healthcare access differences.

“Breast cancer mortality has declined in high-income countries because awareness of early detection and access to treatment are better. Conversely, in low-middle-income countries, deaths remain high due to challenges in accessing healthcare services,” said Deputy Minister Dante.

The WHO has set a target for every country, including Indonesia, to reduce breast cancer mortality by 2.5 per cent per year. To achieve this, the Ministry of Health has formulated the National Action Plan for Breast Cancer 2025–2034 as a joint guide for faster and more targeted action.

“Our main objective is to cure and palliate (reduce the burden),” he said.

The Director of Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, highlighted the urgency of improving early detection systems. Ministry of Health data reveals significant gaps in patient management.

“Out of 14 million target women, only 4.1 million have undergone screening. From this number, 20,000 people with abnormalities were detected, but only 6,000 proceeded to treatment, and only half of these successfully accessed hospital care,” said Nadia.

The three pillars are Early Detection, where 60 per cent of patients are diagnosed at early stages (stage 1 or 2); Rapid Diagnosis, whereby diagnosis is confirmed within 60 days from initial symptom onset; and Complete Treatment, where more than 80 per cent of patients receive modality therapy (a combination of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and others) to completion.

“The National Action Plan for Breast Cancer 2025–2034 encompasses five main strategies: health promotion, improvement of early detection, expansion of quality healthcare access, strengthening of cancer registration, and coordination of multi-stakeholder partnerships,” she said.

Through the Public Private Community Partnership (PPCP) forum, the government is opening doors widely for inclusive partnerships to achieve a five-year survival rate target of 70 per cent for breast cancer patients in Indonesia.