Health security is a global priority, particularly when infectious disease knows no borders. Under the U.S.-Indonesia Strategic Partnership, the United States and Indonesia collaborate to strengthen health systems and increase Indonesia’s self-reliance in preventing, detecting, and responding to global health challenges. These joint efforts increase security and prosperity while preventing suffering, saving lives, and brightening the future for more Indonesian families. 

On behalf of the American people, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) partners with the Government of Indonesia (GOI), Indonesian and U.S. businesses, health care providers, faith-based networks, and more to advance shared health priorities. These include supporting the GOI in realizing its vision for an effective, efficient national health care program. USAID strengthens Indonesia’s ability to plan, finance and implement priority public health initiatives; increase the application of international standards of care; improve the supply and quality of available medicines; and ensure a functioning, affordable health insurance system. USAID also expands Indonesia’s self-reliance in controlling tropical and infectious diseases (such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS) and protecting mothers and newborns from preventable death.

• In 2019, USAID partnered to provide doses of preventative medicine to 47 percent of at-risk communities to curb transmission of lymphatic filariasis (LF), a debilitating and preventable disease. The Government of Indonesia fully funded the cost of these drugs and their distribution, reflecting their strong commitment to eliminating LF.

• Also in 2019, USAID helped to get 1,000 people tested for HIV daily in Jakarta. Of these, roughly 15 were diagnosed with HIV each day, with 13 being put on treatment-- a 144 percent increase since 2018. Indonesia has adopted USAID’s testing needs forecasting system, resulting in a 150 percent increase of testing availability nationwide.

• With USAID support and advocacy with health providers, private hospitals, clinics, and practices reported 22 percent more tuberculosis (TB) cases in 2019, bringing the number of notified TB cases to over 560,000, a 25% increase, a substantial improvement in TB case detection and notification.

• In 2019, USAID engaged with private sectors to offer maternal health services to female factory workers, reaching a total of 28,000 women. In addition, through partnership with a convenience store chain, Alfamart, at five locations in Tangerang district, USAID helped more than 4,000 women of reproductive age access antenatal care and delivery services in 2019 alone.

CURRENT PROGRAMS

CONTROLLING PANDEMIC THREATS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES

COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE  Leveraging a robust relationship with the Government of Indonesia in the health sector, USAID supports Indonesia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening lab capacity, accelerating testing, and improving disease tracking in communities. USAID boosts risk communications at the national level to help ensure that the public can access reliable --and verifiable-- information on how to stop the spread of the disease. Further, USAID has contributed logistical support, training, and additional medical equipment for a large donation of state-of-the-art, American-made ventilators to Indonesia. Through our water, sanitation, and hygiene program and in partnership with other U.S. Government agencies, we have also donated handwashing stations to key cities, districts, and villages across the country.

PANDEMIC THREATS  Indonesia is a hotspot for emerging diseases largely due to frequent and close interaction between people and animals, especially livestock. Since 2006, USAID has advanced Indonesia’s self-reliance in preventing, detecting and responding to high-risk zoonotic diseases and disease outbreaks, especially those with pandemic potential such as bird flu. USAID’s 2019-2024 Global Health Security (GHS) program is the USG’s primary contribution to the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) in Indonesia, for which both governments play leading roles globally. USAID will continue working to develop and deliver sustainable training and programs across the animal and human health sectors that improve Indonesia's capacity to address these complex health issues, including zoonotic and antimicrobial resistant threats.

HIV/AIDS  With over 670,000 people infected, Indonesia faces a growing HIV epidemic. The epidemic disproportionately affects the country’s most vulnerable communities; in Papua Provinces, for instance, the rate of infection is 15 times the national average. USAID programs bolster ongoing GOI efforts to encourage more Indonesians to safeguard themselves against HIV infection and make HIV testing and treatment more widely available. USAID also works with the Ministry of Health as it devises a national strategy to push forward the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets. USAID also bolsters local organizations in their efforts to expand the reach of HIV and AIDS health services so that more people can get the prevention, care and treatment services they need.

TUBERCULOSIS  In Indonesia, there are an estimated 842,000 new TB cases and 100,000 TB-related deaths each year. Drug Resistant TB (DR-TB), which cannot be treated with commonly available TB drugs, is on the rise. To address this growing crisis, USAID partners with Indonesia’s National TB Program, the goal of which is to eliminate TB by 2030, to expand Indonesia’s ability to detect and treat more TB cases, improve laboratory services, open more treatment facilities, and ensure a quality supply of much-needed medicines. To enhance the government’s efforts to cultivate greater private sector participation in the National TB Program, USAID advances solutions to the chronic under-reporting of privately treated cases, helps improve the quality of care at private facilities, supports the continuity of TB services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and strengthens support networks for DR-TB patients. USAID also expands Indonesia’s use of GeneXpert, a diagnostic machine that reduces DR-TB diagnosis time from months to hours, by training local health workers how to operate it. With the Muhammadiyah network of health facilities, we expand Indonesians’ access to DR-TB treatment, care, and services in highly populated provinces.

NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES (NTDs)  Over 45 million Indonesians – about one-sixth of the population – are at risk for lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), and intestinal worms are nationally endemic. These and other NTDs hurt the poorest members of society the most, perpetuating poverty, slowing children’s development, and inhibiting economic productivity. Safe and inexpensive single-dose medicines, however, can treat many NTDs and stop transmission altogether. USAID’s NTD programs enhance GOI efforts to map disease burdens, develop a national strategy for disease control and elimination and implement community-based campaigns to bring these preventative treatments to millions of people.

REDUCING PREVENTABLE DEATHS OF MOTHERS AND NEWBORNS

Indonesia has some of the highest maternal and neonatal death rates in Southeast Asia; two mothers and eight newborns die every hour from mostly preventable causes. USAID builds Indonesia’s self-reliance in tackling the complex and interconnected factors causing preventable death among maternal and newborns. USAID’s engagement catalyzes collaborative problem-solving as well as financially viable partnerships to improve quality of care, emergency referrals, use of data, financial protections, local governance, and health services for the poorest and most vulnerable families. USAID also leverages public private partnership for greater scale, sustainability, and effectiveness of maternal and newborn health outcomes.