Indonesia Faces a Double Epidemic

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

An officer sprays disinfectant in the Keputran Market, Surabaya city, East Java, on Monday (16/3/2020). At least 91 sprayers were deployed by the Surabaya government to sterilize a number of crowd points in the city. This was done to help curb the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS— Indonesia is facing a double epidemic. In the midst of the widespread transmission of COVID-19 disease caused by the new coronavirus, problems related to tuberculosis have not yet been overcome. In fact, cases of tuberculosis that are resistant to drugs continue to grow. The commitment and discipline of the people is the key to eradicate the disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017 recorded 10 million new cases of tuberculosis (TB) in a year. Indonesia ranks second with the largest number of TB cases in the world after India. According to the Health Ministry, TB cases have increased significantly in the past four years. The number of TB cases, which reached 330,729 cases in 2015, increased to 60,565 cases in 2016 and further rose too 446,732 cases in 2027 and to 570,289 cases in 2018.

The director for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, Wiendra Waworuntu, said in Jakarta on Sunday (3/22/2020) during an event to observe World Tuberculosis Day, which is commemorated every March 24, the number of tuberculosis cases continued to increase despite intensive efforts. The discovery effort is important so that patients can be treated immediately to prevent transmission and achieve TB elimination targets.

According to Wiendra, there are an estimated 842,000 TB patients in Indonesia. About 39 percent of the total cases have not been detected and have not received treatment. "Nationally, the achievement of the discovery efforts reached 65 percent in 2019, below the 70 percent target. The discovery of the majority of high risk cases has not reached the target, "he said.

TB case finding is important so patients can be treated immediately.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium mycobacterium tuberculosis, which spreads through the air or droplets when a patient coughs or sneezes. One TB patient can infect 10-15 people a year.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Passengers queue at the MRT Fatmawati Station in South Jakarta on Monday (16/3/2020). Long queues formed because the company reduced the number of coaches on each train from 14 to only four, with departures changed from every 10 minutes to every 20. This was intended to help curb the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Risk factor

Erni Burhan, a pulmonologist from the Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Indonesia-Persahabatan Hospital in Jakarta, said a high number of TB patients in Indonesia, among others, was triggered by unhealthy lifestyles, such as bad cough ethics, smoking habits, and not maintaining personal hygiene.

A densely populated environment also increases the risk of transmission such in Kampung Paso, Manado City, North Sulawesi. In the crowded village, TB has infected many residents. Hui Suawa ,47, one of the residents affected by TB, said, her brother-in-law who lived in one house was affected by TB more than once.

Cases of people infected with TB more than once also occurred in other places, such as Papua. Arlince Daber ,32, a resident of Kampung Nontrol, Jayapura regency, Papua, for example, went to the local health center for the past two months. "I suffered from tuberculosis 10 years ago and recovered a year later. I came back after nursing my sister back to health in 2019, ”said the mother of two.

The spread of the disease also occurs in prisons, which are inhabited by many prisoners, such as the Narcotics LP Class IIA Cirebon, West Java. "I\'m also worried about TB. Friends beside me often cough,” said Amos ,52, who shares a room with 15 other prisoners.

Strengthening the immune system also helps prevent transmission of this disease.

Improving behavior pattern is also an effective way to prevent the transmission of other diseases, including COVID-19. Strengthening the immune system also helps prevent transmission of this disease. "It is not easy to infect people with good endurance," said Erlina.

Patients can recover if they receive regular treatment for six months. The drug can be obtained at health centers for free. "One can transmit these resistant TB germs to others," he said.

The low compliance of taking medication also causes high TB cases in Indonesia. Stigma makes people reluctant to take drugs. In 2019, the WHO reported Indonesia was the country with the seventh-highest occurrence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB RO) in the world among 30 other countries.

(TAN/OKA/FLO/IKI)