Jakarta, Oct. 18 -- Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus stated that a country's level of development can be reflected in its success in eliminating tuberculosis (TB).

Therefore, he is committed to expanding public education to identify and address more TB cases.

"I want to work harder and help more next year. If possible, we should detect 1.5 million cases. Why not? Because as long as the bacteria exist, it will continue to spread," he said during a meeting with the media on Friday.

Currently, Indonesia's TB case notification rate stands at 55 percent of the target of 1,090,000 cases.

However, treatment adherence among TB patients has exceeded 85 percent. What remains to be done, he emphasized, is strengthening education and awaren...