Indonesia’s health projects with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) are currently on hold, with the future of these partnerships unclear. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin revealed that the suspension of USAID-supported initiatives, which focus on combating HIV and tuberculosis, is still under assessment and could potentially be permanently canceled. However, he noted that the status of these projects would likely become clearer within the next 90 days.
The freeze on US foreign aid comes amidst a potential restructuring of USAID under President Donald Trump’s administration, which could merge the agency into the State Department, reducing its workforce and aligning its funding with the “America First” policy.
Since 2020, USAID has invested $800 million in Indonesia, particularly in HIV, tuberculosis, and pandemic preparedness programs. The pause could significantly impact Indonesia’s ability to address its rising TB cases, which exceeded 1 million in 2023, up from approximately 820,000 in 2020.
Despite this setback, Indonesia continues to receive drugs and support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, where the US remains the largest donor.
In response to growing health concerns, Indonesia has launched an ambitious free health screening program starting February 10, with a budget of about 3 trillion rupiah ($184 million) aimed at preventing early deaths from diseases such as stroke, heart disease, and tuberculosis. The program is expected to reach 220 million people this year, making it the largest health initiative in the country’s history, surpassing even the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
