On Thursday, the ministry's Acting Director General of Disease Control, Andi Saguni, said malaria control is part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with Indonesia committed to eliminating the disease nationwide by 2030.
Currently, malaria remains a health challenge in several regions, especially in eastern Indonesia.
"Around 95 percent of all malaria cases in Indonesia originate from the Papua region, which encompasses six provinces. This is our shared focus, and we must handle this immediately," he remarked.
According to him, national malaria prevention and control efforts must be a joint commitment and priority across the central and regional governments, along with the public.
He explained that malaria elimination in Papua is highly attainable. For example, in Maybrat District, Southwest Papua, which officially became the first district in Papua to achieve Malaria-Free status in 2025.
"Keep in mind that malaria elimination is not an instant result; it requires the support of all parties and consistency over many years. Each region must develop a sustainable elimination strategy tailored to its specific conditions," Saguni emphasized.
He then reminded that achieving malaria-free status is only part of the challenge. Sustaining it is equally demanding, as some regions have seen cases re-emerge, with several even experiencing Extraordinary Events (KLB) after previously being declared malaria-free.
On World Malaria Day, he expressed hopes for the commitment of all stakeholders to play an active role in achieving a Malaria-Free Indonesia by 2030.
In line with the global theme "Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can, Now We Must," he said malaria can be resolved through the cooperation of all parties.
"The ministry will issue malaria elimination certificates to district heads and mayors whose regions meet the requirements to end or achieve malaria elimination by 2025," he noted.
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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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