Jakarta. Indonesia ranks second for the world's most tuberculosis cases after India, according to PPTI, an Indonesian organization focusing on fighting the disease.

Indonesia records 969,000 new tuberculosis cases every year. This means that a person contracts tuberculosis every 33 seconds. The disease also claims 144,000 lives a year.

"Prevention and elimination of tuberculosis are crucial. PPTI calls on everyone to eradicate this contagious disease and get rid of the stigma that TBC is an incurable disease," PPTI chairwoman Raisis Arifin Panigoro was quoted as saying by Beritasatu.com on Saturday.

According to the 2022 Global TB Report, tuberculosis mostly affects the working-age population. 

This prompted PPTI, which is celebrating its 55th anniversary, to host a webinar on addressing tuberculosis in the workplace. JRC Clinic-PPTI also teamed up with South Jakarta's city health department and beverage firm Amerta Indah Otsuka to provide treatment for workers that are detected to have caught tuberculosis.

PPTI also hosted a photo and creative video competition with the theme "Let's End TBC Together". About 280 participants took part in the competition with PPTI's Lily S Sulistyowati, Kompas senior photographer Arbain Rambey, Produksi Film Negara's Tjandra Wibowo,  Medco Foundation's Roma Sophiaan, Video Journalist Alliance or AJV's head Rully Nasrulah as the judges. The winners will get cash prizes worth tens of millions of rupiahs.

PPTI's Depok chapter also held a lenong or traditional Betawi theater for kids. 

PPTI's 55th anniversary will also witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Indonesian Pulmonary Doctors Association (PDPI). It will also have an integrated TBC-DM screening and charity for locals.

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