Indonesia Minister Urges Regional Leaders to Prioritize Leprosy Control

Indonesian Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian has called on regional leaders to make leprosy control a top priority, linking it directly to the crucial goal of improving the quality of human resources. He stressed that the commitment of regional governments is the linchpin for accelerating efforts in preventing new cases, detecting existing ones, ensuring complete treatment, and eradicating the stigma faced by those affected by leprosy.

“

I want to highlight a bit that might serve as a wake-up call for all of us, so we don't consider this event just a ceremony.

Tito made these remarks at the 2026 National Leprosy Conference in Jakarta, highlighting that Indonesia still faces a significant number of new leprosy cases requiring serious attention. He warned that this situation should serve as a wake-up call for all regional governments to strengthen their sustainable leprosy control initiatives. "I want to highlight a bit that might serve as a wake-up call for all of us, so we don't consider this event just a ceremony," Tito stated.

He further explained that human resource quality is the foundation of regional development, and efforts to improve public welfare will be suboptimal if health issues like leprosy are not addressed seriously. The success of leprosy control, he noted, hinges on the commitment of regional leaders, which must be reflected in all stages of regional development, from planning and budgeting to program implementation.

“

There must first be political will, a mindset to be serious. If the top level isn't serious, and it's delegated downwards to the head of the health office, etc., it will only become routine, back to the program, business as usual.

"There must first be political will, a mindset to be serious. If the top level isn't serious, and it's delegated downwards to the head of the health office, etc., it will only become routine, back to the program, business as usual," Tito warned. He also mentioned that the Ministry of Home Affairs is considering incorporating health performance, including leprosy and tuberculosis, into an award program for regional governments. This initiative aims to foster healthy competition and reinforce regional commitment to enhancing healthcare services.

“

One of the things I've been thinking about is awarding regions that are most proactive in health programs. One of the criteria might be which regions have good programs for handling TB and leprosy.