Tuberculosis Patient Passed Military Training Screening Due to Misdiagnosis as Viral Infection
A participant in basic military training for prospective managers of the ‘Red and White Village Cooperative’ (Kopdes), Novia Rahmadhani Sihotang, died from tuberculosis (TBC) on Tuesday, 23 June 2026. Novia was undergoing training at the Indonesian Air Force’s Language Centre, part of the Doctrine Development, Education, and Training Command in Jakarta.
During a press conference at the Ministry of Defence on Saturday, 27 June 2026, a member of the Military Medical Corps, Lieutenant Colonel Ichsan, explained that Novia had undergone standard medical examinations before being declared fit. The examinations included a physical check-up, laboratory tests, X-rays, and an ultrasound. He stated that the results showed no signs of tuberculosis. ‘At the time of the X-ray, there was no TBC,’ Ichsan said, though he did not disclose the hospital where the medical check-up was conducted.
According to Ichsan, tuberculosis is a condition that should disqualify candidates from becoming village cooperative managers. However, he claimed that Novia’s initial medical results only indicated a viral lung infection, leading to her being declared fit. Consequently, she was deemed eligible to join the basic military training alongside other prospective cooperative managers. ‘From what we discussed, it was not TBC, but pneumonia or a lung infection caused by a virus,’ Ichsan stated.
Nevertheless, the Head of the Human Resources Development Agency at the Ministry of Defence, Major General Ketut Gede Wetan Pastia, acknowledged that not all diseases can be detected during initial screening. He noted that while the selection process was conducted by the national selection committee, some illnesses only become apparent after participants begin training. ‘In reality, there are diseases that go undetected,’ Ketut said.
To anticipate further transmission of the tuberculosis bacteria, Ketut stated that organisers had traced participants and committee members at Halim Perdanakusuma. The tracing revealed that other participants had been infected, leading to their isolation. ‘I can report that there has been a separation; several people indicated to have contracted the bacteria are in a safe and controlled condition,’ Ketut added. He further noted that the Ministry of Defence had written to the Ministry of Health to request their involvement in tracing the spread of the tuberculosis bacteria and other viruses.