VOA常速英语:Aiding Indonesia's Fight Against Tuberculosis

This month, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Mission Director Derrick Brown and Indonesian Ministry of Health Director General of Communicable Disease Control and Environmental Health Dr. Tjandra Yoga Aditama launched USAID’s $12 million Community Empowerment of People Against Tuberculosis (CEPAT) health program. USAID’s CEPAT program, launched September 3rd, supports the Government of Indonesia’s efforts to combat tuberculosis (TB) and increase access to early and effective TB diagnosis and treatment.

The program will increase the number of people who get tested, treated and cured for TB in Jakarta, East Java, West Java, Banten, West Sumatra, Nusa Tenggara Barat, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Papua and West Papua. CEPAT works with communities and local organizations to target people who live in urban slums, displaced and mobile populations, the uninsured and people with reduced immunity due to malnourishment or HIV infection.

USAID’s CEPAT program will be implemented by three Indonesian partner organizations: Lembaga Kesehatan Nadhlatul Ulama (LKNU), Jaringan Kesehatan Masyarakat (JKM) and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Timika (RCD).
USAID partners with the Government of Indonesia and local governments to reduce the threat of infectious disease and to provide services to reduce preventable deaths.

USAID support for combating TB is an important component of the U.S. overall partnership with Indonesia in health and is included in the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership, a commitment made by Presidents Obama and Yudhoyono to deepen bilateral relations between the United States and Indonesia.

“CEPAT supports the Indonesian National Tuberculosis Program to achieve universal access to quality and early TB diagnosis and treatment among all care providers,” said Dr. Tjandra. “CEPAT was designed in close coordination with the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) and is intended to support Community Systems Strengthening, one of the six pillars of the NTP’s Comprehensive Model for TB control in Indonesia.”

“On behalf of the American people, USAID works with the Ministry of Health, Indonesian organizations and local communities to combat tuberculosis and save lives,” said Deputy Mission Director Brown.

“Together with our partners, we will raise awareness about TB and have more people with symptoms tested. We will also support patients to complete their treatment and be cured. USAID is proud to partner with the Ministry of Health and support their TB program.”