VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A vaccine for treating tuberculosis (TB) is currently under development and is ready for the third phase of clinical trials, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin informed on Thursday.

The Indonesian Government has sought engagement in clinical trial activities for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the Welcome Trust.

"Indonesia also proactively proposes so it can be a location where these clinical trials can take place, so that we will get the right for first-time access to them," Sadikin informed at a webinar titled 'Tuberculosis Support Program in Indonesia," which was accessed from here on Thursday.

The government is committed to eliminating tuberculosis by 2030, with a target incidence rate of 65 per 100 thousand population and a death rate of 6 per 100 thousand population.

Based on the Global TB Report 2021, the number of tuberculosis cases in Indonesia is projected to reach 824 thousand. However, only 393,323 or 48 percent of the patients have been found, treated, and reported to the national information system.

The remaining 52 percent either have yet to be found or have been found, but have not been reported.

The Health Ministry is seeking to detect 90 percent of tuberculosis cases by 2024.

As of September 2022, the coverage rate for TB discovery and treatment was 39 percent (one-year target TC 90 percent) and the TB treatment success rate was 74 percent (SR target 90 percent), the ministry noted.

"Hopefully, with these  measures, we can be earlier than the 2030 target in controlling tuberculosis and the Indonesian people will be much healthier," he said. (Antaranews)