To support Indonesia’s National Action Plan (NAP) for Cervical Cancer Elimination, the Indonesian Health Economist Association (InaHEA) in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Women’s Cancer Coalition (APAC WCC) hosted a discussion forum involving stakeholders from the government, health professionals, and sector leaders. The forum emphasized the importance of synergy in efforts and resources to achieve 75% screening coverage among women aged 30–69.
Deputy Minister of Health, Prof. Dante Harbuwono, highlighted that cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among Indonesian women, with around 36,000 new cases annually—70% of which are diagnosed at advanced stages. He stressed the urgency of preventive approaches such as vaccination and early detection. The NAP targets include 90% HPV vaccination coverage for adolescents, 70% screening coverage for women aged 35, and 90% treatment for pre-cancer and cancer cases. Nihayatul Wafiroh, Vice Chair of Commission IX of the Indonesian Parliament, reaffirmed legislative support in increasing health budget allocation and expanding access to HPV DNA screening across the country.
Since the launch of the NAP in 2023, efforts have scaled up in vaccination, screening, and treatment. However, Indonesia still faces challenges in access, healthcare workforce capacity, and infrastructure. A comprehensive multi-sector approach is needed to overcome these barriers. Director of Non-Communicable Diseases Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, at the Ministry of Health, emphasized that cervical cancer is preventable and curable if detected early. Collaborative efforts, particularly in communication and outreach, are key to achieving the 2030 goal of 75% screening coverage.
A pilot project in East Java, supported by the Ministry of Health, Roche Indonesia, Biofarma, and Jhpiego, targets screening over 6,800 women using a hub-and-spoke model. The initiative includes healthcare training, communication module development, and robust data reporting systems tailored to local contexts. Prof. Dr. Aryati, Chair of the Indonesian Association of Clinical Pathologists (PDS PatKLIn), underlined the importance of accurate diagnostics in cervical cancer screening, noting that early intervention can offer survival of up to 20 years.
To ensure the scalability of HPV DNA screening, the forum also called for strengthened health systems, sustainable financing—both public and alternative sources—and expanded public-private partnerships to accelerate cervical cancer elimination in Indonesia.
