WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY 2010 EMPHASIZES INNOVATION

JAKARTA -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on Wednesday joined the Government of Indonesia and international and local partners in commemorating World Tuberculosis (TB) Day.

Worldwide, deaths from TB have gone down since 1990, but the disease continues to claim more than 1.3 million lives each year, according to a press release from the US embassy in Jakarta made available to ANTARA here Wednesday.
This year, the World Health Organization has made "Innovation" its global theme for World TB Day. The theme addresses the need to utilize new ideas and methods to continue to effectively battle the disease.

"Even though a cure has existed for more than half a century,
tuberculosis remains one of humankind's greatest scourges and continues to affect the health and well-being of tens of thousands of
Indonesians." said USAID Indonesia Mission Director Walter North.

"Today, we are reminded that TB anywhere is TB everywhere."
Indonesia ranks third globally, with 535,000 TB cases annually. Since 2000, the country's national TB control program has successfully reached a global target for identifying and treating at least 70% of estimated cases.

During that time, USAID has provided over $1 billion for TB
programs worldwide.

The U.S. is committed to its partnership with Indonesia to fight this still all too prevalent disease. In Indonesia, USAID supports the
Tuberculosis Control Assistance Program (TBCAP), which focuses on timely and appropriate diagnosis, treatment and notification of all TB cases according to the national guidelines and in line with WHO
recommendations.
The program works to strengthen commitment to TB
control and ensure sustainable local ownership of the national program
by engaging all service providers and strengthening TB clinical and
laboratory services.