Sosialisasi Program TOSS Tuberkulosis pada Kader Kesehatan di Desa Sumbersuko, Malang

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a public health problem in Sumbersuko Village, Wagir District, Malang Regency, mainly due to a lack of understanding of proper treatment that can reduce therapy adherence, trigger treatment failure, and increase the risk of drug resistance such as Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB). This activity aims to evaluate and strengthen the implementation of the TOSS TB program (Find Tuberculosis, Treat Until Cured) as a community-based integrated initiative involving health workers, trained village cadres, and active community participation to improve early detection, ensure timely treatment according to standards, and conduct monitoring by reducing stigma. The implementation method is carried out through structured stages in the form of interactive socialization using infographics, persuasive education to correct negative perceptions (TB is not a shameful disease or a curse and can be cured), and a question and answer session to debunk myths. The evaluation shows that community knowledge about the TOSS program is classified as good with an average score of 7.95/10 (79.5%); as many as 65% of respondents are categorized as good knowledge, while 35% are still sufficient and insufficient. The majority of respondents were able to recognize the main symptoms of TB and understood the importance of social support for patients. However, significant information gaps were identified regarding pharmaceuticals: only 35% knew that anti-TB drugs are most effective when taken on an empty stomach, and 45% understood that the red-orange discoloration of urine/sweat caused by rifampin is a normal and harmless side effect. These gaps have the potential to lead to anxiety and self-discontinuation, which increases the risk of resistance. The program recommends strengthening more specific pharmaceutical education and increasing the training of cadres as PMOs for monitoring, proper education, and psychosocial support as strategies to improve adherence, reduce morbidity/mortality, prevent MDR-TB, and strengthen early warning and sustainable collaboration between villages and health facilities.