MALARIA PERDHAKI, Merauke – Malaria elimination has become both a national and global agenda in pursuit of the 2030 elimination target.

Malaria case data in 2024 (e-Sismal as of Tuesday, December 31, 2024) reported 48,573 cases with a total of 183,320 examinations conducted. This figure increased compared to the previous year (2023), which recorded 30,296 cases with 149,225 examinations.

The highest malaria cases were recorded consecutively in Asmat Regency (21,876 cases), Boven Digoel (12,259 cases), Mappi (9,945 cases), and Merauke (4,493 cases) as the lowest. The increase in cases and number of examinations is believed to be due to improved recording and reporting.

In 2024, 107 out of 114 health facilities recorded and reported through e-Sismal (Malaria Information and Surveillance System). In comparison, in 2023, 91 out of 114 health facilities reported through e-Sismal. Fewer health facilities reported cases in 2023 compared to 2024.

The recording and reporting of malaria cases for 2024 is still ongoing until around the end of January 2025. With accurate and validated surveillance data, it is expected that regions will gain a clear picture of the burden and distribution of malaria cases down to the village/urban ward level.

At the end of 2024, the South Papua Provincial Health Office facilitated a malaria data validation meeting (Saturday, December 7, 2024), attended by malaria program managers from the health offices of four districts—Asmat, Boven Digoel, Mappi, and Merauke—along with malaria coordinators from health facilities and partners such as Gapai Harapan Papua, SR/SSR Perdhaki, and UNICEF.

The meeting, opened by Agustinus Muyak, SKM, Head of the Disease Prevention and Control Section of the South Papua Provincial Health Office, produced several recommendations related to malaria program management. These recommendations were later presented at the Monitoring and Evaluation Meeting on Accelerating Malaria Elimination in Papua (Monday, December 16, 2024), facilitated by the Malaria Task Force – Directorate General of Disease Prevention and Control, Indonesian Ministry of Health.

At the meeting, five key points were formulated as strategies and breakthroughs for South Papua Province in 2025. These five points are:

1. Encouraging collaboration among the districts of Asmat, Boven Digoel, Mappi, and Merauke to carry out simultaneous malaria activities at the same time, starting from neighboring villages or areas. This strategy is expected to help identify malaria cases transmitted due to community mobility.
2. Conducting malaria data validation for each district every three months simultaneously online via Zoom.
3. Implementing a package of case detection interventions both indoors and outdoors in hotspot areas (those with the highest number of cases) using the TOKEN strategy (Find, Treat, Control Vector) and MOMAL (Mass Drug Administration). The program needs to ensure high coverage of core malaria control interventions, such as early diagnosis and treatment conducted simultaneously with vector control measures, including larvicide application, environmental management, distribution of mosquito nets, and indoor residual spraying.
4. Strengthening the integration of malaria and Maternal and Child Health (MCH) through malaria screening during pregnant women’s visits and Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) services at all community health centers, as well as ensuring the management of congenital malaria in newborns at hospitals.
5. Advocating for regional policies to ensure the availability of sustainable regulations and funding. Similar support is expected from the private sector, as well as from private companies, religious communities, youth and social organizations, PKK (Family Welfare Movement), and district and village officials.

Know that malaria threatens the survival of both the current and future generations. Children born to mothers with malaria often have low birth weights and reduced intelligence. Children suffering from malaria find it difficult to concentrate in school. Malaria also leads to decreased community productivity.

This news was previously published by Teropong News. Link: https://teropongnews.com/2025/01/target-eliminasi-malaria-terus-dikejar-empat-kabupaten-di-papua-selatan/