VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Health Ministry recorded an estimated 842 thousand cases of tuberculosis (TBC) in the country last year, down some 200 thousand from 1.020 million the previous year.

Indonesia is currently the world's third largest country in terms of TBC sufferers, Director of Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control of the Health Ministry Wiendra Waworuntu told the press in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The ranking fell one notch compared to last year when Indonesia was second only to India in terms of TBC, she said.

With the number of TBC sufferers estimated at 842 thousand last year, Indonesia is currently ranked third after India and China in terms of TBC, she said.

She said nearly 39 percent of the overall TBC cases in the country have not been found and reported.

Meanwhile, the number of drug-resistant TBC cases is estimated at 4.4 thousand.

She said 52,929 of the overall TBC cases affected children and 7,729 cases affected HIV carriers.

Nearly 89 percent of TBC patients in Indonesia could be cured last year, she said, adding: "TBC can be cured if the patients get routine treatment."

TBC is a direct communicable disease caused by bacteria. It can affect anybody, particularly children, and those who are of a productive age. (ANTARA)