Misdiagnosis of TB is quite common, as Ani knows all too well – her misdiagnosis led to her developing multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). To make her situation even more serious, she was pregnant at the time, had to undergo a caesarean section because her waters broke at 8 months of pregnancy, this is where she experienced stigma and discrimination when she was about to give birth because she is MDR TB. she had to change her own clothes in a glass room where everyone could see her. This was “the most embarrassing moment of [her] life.”
After two years of painful treatment, Ani was finally TB-free in 2013 and credits The Global Fund with saving her life.
In 2015 she again had to fight for drug-sensitive TB treatment with her first child, her struggle then was to ensure good treatment for herself, her first child and provide TPT for her second child. She and her child finished the treatment in 2016. Once again, the Global Fund save her life and the lives of her children.
Her traumatic experiences led her to join a TB survivor group, and from there she also helped establish a local survivors organization in Surabaya, and currently become a chair at Rekat Peduli Indonesia Foundation.
Ani has now dedicated her career to supporting a stronger TB response in her home country of Indonesia, as well as across the Asia-Pacific region, and particularly working with TB Women – a global network of women in all their diversity who aim to drive a gender transformative TB response.
In 2023, She was selected to be Co Chair Of TB CAB is the Global Tuberculosis Community Board is group of strong, research-literate community activists from HIV and TB networks.
She also become member of Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) Community Advisory Panel (CAP) with role to provide MPP with advice for TB. This will include advice and guidance on specific medical technologies from a community and end-user perspective.
"As a pregnant woman with TB, my experience was unique compared to most TB patients – but telling my story is important to help show the need for increased support and investment in TB responses, and especially in The Global Fund."