Today, the U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Kristen Bauer and the provincial government of DKI Jakarta launched the Community Empowerment of People Against Tuberculosis (CEPAT) health program in Jakarta. Through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the program supports community-based outreach and care for tuberculosis (TB).
“USAID’s CEPAT program supports Indonesian organizations and local communities to combat tuberculosis and save lives,” said Bauer. “The United States is proud to partner with the Ministry of Health and support their TB program. Together, we will ensure more people are diagnosed, and support TB-positive patients in completing their treatment.”
To increase the number of people who get tested, treated, and cured for TB in Jakarta, the United States supports several Indonesian organizations, including Jaringan Kesehatan/Kesejahteraan Masyarakat (JKM) in Jakarta. The Family Welfare Movement team (Tim Pengerak Pembina Kesejahteraan Keluarga/PKK) of Jakarta province hosted today’s event to demonstrate their support of the work to fight TB in Jakarta.
Indonesia remains among the top five countries globally with the highest incidence of TB. There are about 450,000 new TB cases and 65,000 TB-related deaths in Indonesia every year. Multi-drug resistant strains of TB are on the rise. Approximately 30 percent of Indonesia’s estimated TB cases are not detected, and many patients are diagnosed late.
Last year, USAID recognized Indonesia’s global leadership in the fight against TB in ceremonies in Washington D.C and Jakarta, highlighting Indonesia’s progress in achieving its Millennium Development Goals for TB.
The CEPAT program works with communities and local organizations to reach people who live in urban slums, displaced and mobile populations, and people with reduced immunity due to malnourishment or HIV infection. CEPAT works in DKI Jakarta, West Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Papua, and West Papua.
The United States partners with the Government of Indonesia and local governments to reduce the threat of infectious disease and to provide services to reduce preventable deaths. This support is an important component of the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership, a commitment made by our two presidents to deepen bilateral relations.
For more information, visit http://indonesia.usaid.gov or contact USAID Communications Specialist Danumurthi Mahendra at +62 (21) 3435-9000 or dmahendra@usaid.gov.
