Addressing malaria global elimination

Jakarta (ANTARA News) -- Malaria is known as a frightening specter across the world, especially in countries with vast tropical forests, such as Indonesia with its archipelagic conditions.

According to the Indonesian Health Ministry`s Director General of Disease Control and Environmental Health (P2PL) Prof dr Tjandra Yoga Aditama, a 2010 World Malaria Report said half of the earth population is at risk of malaria where 81 million malaria positive cases were reported with a mortality rate of up to 117,704 people.

In Indonesia, there are approximately 544,470 malaria cases with a mortality rate of the infectious malignant disease of up to 900 people, Tjandra said.

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasite that lives and spawn in the the human blood, the various Plasmodium parasites in malaria namely Plasmodium Falciparum, Plasmodium Vivax, Plasmodium Ovale, Plasmodium Malariae and the recently discovered Plasmodium Knowlesi.

The most common Plasmodium in Indonesia is Falciparum and Vivax, meanwhile Plasmodium Malriae can be found in several Indonesian provinces such as Lampung, East Nusa Tenggara and Papua, where Plasmodium Ovale in East Nusa Tenggara and Papua.

In the meantime, Plasmodium Knowlesi is discovered in Kalimantan and is still being studied in research to find the main cause of Malaria.

Half of the malaria cases in Indonesia are caused by Plasmodium Falciparum and Vivax.

Plasmodium attacked Anopheles mosquitoes and spreads through three components known as the malaria epidemiology triangle.

Malaria Epidemiology Triangle consists of the host (people) spread by human risky behavior like outdoor activities during night time where the mosquitoes usually bite, secondly is the agent or the mosquitoes itself of the malaria vector types and genetically its application depends on the types and climate.

The environment is the other factor in the triangle, the disease might break out in climate changes and ecology vector such as density, population competency and genetic vector.

According to Tjandra, malaria clinical symptoms are mostly known as Trias Malaria causing fever, shivering and sweat, followed by other symptoms such as head ache, nausea, vomitting, diarrhea, and muscle aches.

Malaria`s worst symptoms can also felt by infected persons suffering from consciousness, weakness, spasm, high fever, yellowish eyes and body, bleeding nose, gums and indigestion, fast breathing or hard to breathe, less and darker urine and pale palm.

Medical Treatment for malaria

"Malaria can be treated after the patient`s blood has been monitored using a microscopic and Rapid Diagnose Test (RDT) , treatment using the Artemisinin Based Combination Therapy (ACT) and the government provided drugs at state hospitals and community health services (Puskesmas)," said Tjandra.

Malaria can be cured by using the right medication, otherwise it might cause death in less than seven days after being infected or illness may re-occur if the patient does not take the proper drugs in a certain period.

Tjandra also asked patients to have their malignant disease treated as soon aspossible in 24 hours to prevent complications from affecting other body parts.

According to global commitments in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Roll Back Malaria (RBM) and national commitment in Mid-Term Development Plans (RPJM), Presidential Decree no 3 to achieve the MDGs, and Regional Action Plan (RAD), the government plans to eliminate malaria in Indonesia.

The government plans to eliminate malaria with its vision to create independent people living healthily, and to create a healthy and malaria free community.




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Reporter: Ageng Wibowo
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011