Klojen (malangkota.go.id) – Tuberculosis (TB) requires comprehensive treatment involving various parties. Moreover, until September 2023, in Malang City there were 2.067 TB cases recorded.
This was stated by the Head of the Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) Division of the Malang City Health Office, Meifta Eti Winindar, S.ST, MM in the Assistance Activity for the Implementation of Case Finding of Infectious Diseases through Strengthening Cross-Program and Cross-Sector Networks in Efforts to Control Tuberculosis in the Malang City Community which was held at the Shalimar Hotel, Wednesday (18/10/2023).
"There are many TB cases in Malang City, we have made a joint commitment with all levels of the Malang City Government, starting from the sub-district, district and all related apparatuses and all cross-sectors to oversee the reduction in stunting rates," he said.
Stunting and TB are closely related, because malnutrition or malnutrition is a risk factor for TB. Meifta said that steps to prevent stunting are not limited to providing nutritious food. But there are also two important factors that influence stunting, namely intake and problems related to infectious diseases.
"The most important infectious disease. This is what often causes children to get sick, namely the problem of TB suffered by children. Often we do not pay attention to it," he explained.
The woman in hijab said that breaking the chain of TB cannot be done unilaterally, because TB is an infectious disease that is influenced by socio-economic factors, the environment, health behavior, and other disease conditions. So cross-sector participation is needed to reduce the risk factors for TB transmission.
"Free screening activities for high-risk groups for TB are one of our strategies. This aims to increase the early detection of TB infection cases. That way, patients can be treated faster as an effort to break the chain of TB transmission," he said.
Furthermore, Meifta said that the Malang City Health Office will form a TB Elimination Acceleration Team in Malang City to achieve the government's target of eliminating TB by 2030. (vin/yon)
