USAID to Grant US$1.5Mn for Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment in Indonesia

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced its plan to provide tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatments (TPT) to 145,070 people in Indonesia, which is worth US$1,523,235. This is claimed as a key step in expediting access to preventive treatment across the archipelago and curbing the spread of the disease. 

The US through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has been working with the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility to advance the prevention efforts worldwide. During the 2023 United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week in September, they worked to secure a 30 percent price reduction for the shortened TB prevention regimen, known as 3HP.

Indonesia, with the second-highest TB burden in the world, is one of 11 countries receiving TB preventive treatments. There were an estimated 1,060,000 new cases and 134,000 deaths each year in the country. USAID would collaborate with the Health Ministry to distribute these life-saving treatments.

“The United States, through USAID, is proud to partner with the Government of Indonesia to improve health outcomes for the Indonesian people, including for tuberculosis,” said USAID Indonesia Mission Director Jeff Cohen as quoted from a press release.

3HP is a WHO-recommended short-course TPT regimen. Shorter TPT regimens are associated with better outcomes, up to three times higher completion rates, and better adherence. They are also cost-effective, helping to reduce the burden on healthcare systems and improve resource allocation.

SUCI SEKARWATI

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