Tulungagung Intensifies HIV/AIDS Prevention with Expanded screening and Rapid Treatment
Tulungagung, East Java – Health officials in Tulungagung Regency are ramping up efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, aiming for elimination by 2030. A key strategy involves proactive case finding and swift access to treatment, responding to an average of 350-400 new diagnoses annually.
Desi Lusiana Wardani, head of Disease Prevention and Control at the Tulungagung Health Service, highlighted the importance of early intervention. “The increasing number of identified cases isn’t cause for alarm; it demonstrates our success in actively identifying infections early, allowing for immediate care,” she stated during a World AIDS day event.
The Health Service is focusing on three core pillars: early detection through expanded screening programs, comprehensive support for patients, and broadened access to treatment options. As of October 2025, 359 new cases have been recorded, with projections indicating further increases by year-end. In 2024 alone, 395 cases were identified.
As 2006, a cumulative total of 4,350 HIV/AIDS cases have been documented in Tulungagung. This places the regency 12th highest in East Java for overall cases, but a notable 10th for annual detection rates.
Wardani stressed that the increased detection rate is a positive outcome of proactive screening, enabling individuals to begin antiretroviral therapy (ARV) before progressing to AIDS.To facilitate this, the Health Service is equipping 25 community health centers and five hospitals to provide comprehensive HIV care, including treatment, counseling, and ongoing support.
A particular focus is being placed on vulnerable populations, specifically housewives of childbearing age, who currently represent the largest proportion of new diagnoses and pose a risk of mother-to-child transmission.
“We are working to uncover the ‘hidden’ cases – the ‘iceberg phenomenon’ – to break the chain of transmission and ensure timely treatment for all those in need,” Wardani concluded.