A laboratory technician looks at a sputum smear through a microscope for traces of TB in a West Java laboratory.
Some 3 million people have Tuberculosis (TB) in Indonesia. It’s a significant development priority for the government; so much so that they have set the goal of ending TB by 2030. Supporting this, is the new US$300 million Strengthening National TB Response Program which takes an innovative systems approach to improving coverage, quality and efficiency of TB services in Indonesia while at the same time bolstering the wider health system. Advance UHC supported analytics and technical assistance over the past 6 years informed the design and development of the project.
Performance-linked funding encourages health facilities to be better equipped to provide TB diagnostics and treatment, while reforms to the national health insurance system incentivize a shift towards care being offered at the primary level instead of hospitals. The program also supports enhancing digital systems to simplify reporting and promotes evidence-informed policymaking on TB. Gender impact is another critical element with particular emphasis being placed on reducing access barriers and stigma for female patients.
The program is also highly equitable as TB infections are concentrated in the bottom two quintiles of the population. It creates long term health system capacity and strengthens institutions involved in the provision of TB and overall primary care.