The Indonesian government officially launched a national initiative offering tuberculosis (TB) screening and free health checkups across 532 correctional facilities (lapas) and detention centers (rutan) nationwide. The strategic initiative, part of the President's Quick Win program, was inaugurated at Class IIA Ngaseman Prison, Nusakambangan, on Monday (29/6).
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized that this step manifests the state's commitment to ensuring the right to health for all citizens, regardless of their legal status. The program targets more than 272,000 inmates and tens of thousands of correctional officers. It is hoped that optimal access to healthcare services will improve the quality of life for inmates through their release.
Health Minister Budi paid special attention to the threat of tuberculosis in prisons. Data shows that the prevalence of TB in correctional environments reaches 0.54 percent, a figure that exceeds the national average of 0.3 percent. Overcrowding is the primary risk factor for the transmission of the disease. Therefore, screening using chest X-rays is a crucial instrument for early detection and breaking the chain of transmission in closed environments.
Echoing the Health Minister, Minister of Immigration and Correctional Services Agus Andrianto expressed his department's full support to achieve the national TB elimination target by 2030. As a tangible form of support, the Ministry of Health handed over medical equipment aid worth Rp2.2 billion to correctional authorities. This aid resulted from collaboration with various vertical hospitals and the private sector to strengthen facilities in correctional clinics.
This comprehensive health examination program includes blood pressure monitoring, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and HIV testing. Acting Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (P2) at the Ministry of Health, Andi Saguni, revealed that this program will reach a total of 321,449 participants in phases until the end of 2026. Through this inter-ministerial collaboration, the government strives to ensure that every individual in the correctional system receives proper and timely medical treatment.
