This commitment was reiterated by Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Ribka Haluk during the 9th Asia Pacific Leaders' Summit on Malaria Elimination in Badung, Bali, on Tuesday, according to a statement released on Wednesday.
She stressed that the Ministry of Home Affairs must ensure that funds for malaria elimination are prepared by all six provinces of Papua.
On that occasion, she expressed gratitude to Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin and representatives of other countries for their commitment to malaria elimination in Indonesia.
She also lauded Indonesian provinces that received recognition from the Ministry of Health for their success in achieving malaria-free status.
Nevertheless, she reminded attendees that eliminating malaria in the six Papuan provinces of Papua, West Papua, South Papua, Central Papua, Southwest Papua, and Highland Papua remains a challenge.
"The health minister informed that around 93 percent of the national malaria cases originate from these regions. This is a serious concern and must be prioritized," she remarked.
Haluk affirmed that her ministry has an important mandate to ensure that malaria elimination efforts are incorporated into regional planning documents.
She underlined that the ministry's support for the program is part of a tangible contribution towards realizing the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision, which aspires for Indonesia to become a developed country with a healthy, intelligent, and prosperous society.
"Malaria elimination is not only a health issue but also a big strategy in Indonesia's human resources development," Haluk stated.
As a concrete form of this commitment, the ministry and regional governments will establish a memorandum of understanding to support budget allocation and implementation of the malaria elimination program in Papua.
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Translator: Fianda Sjofjan, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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