Indonesia is expanding faster diagnosis and a new six-month treatment to combat drug-resistant tuberculosis, improving care for patients in a country where around one million people fall ill with TB each year.
“This comprehensive approach to diagnosis, treatment and care promises to have a real and tangible impact in the fight against TB,” health officials involved in the national programme said.
The country has rapidly introduced the BPaL/M drug regimen, which cuts treatment time from 18–24 months to just six months and reduces side effects. Adoption among eligible patients rose from 17% in January 2024 to more than 80% by December 2024. Expanded diagnostic services, decentralised care through primary health clinics and dedicated TB case managers are also helping patients complete treatment while reducing the spread of resistant strains.
