One Commitment from Tafarewar Village: Driving Anopheles Out of Every Corner of Homes

MALARIA PERDHAKI – Sarmi. Tafarewar Village, Sarmi District, Papua Province, once again demonstrates its commitment toward malaria elimination through concrete action. On Monday, March 9, 2026, the village carried out Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) as a preventive measure to break the chain of malaria transmission.

A joint team from the District Health Office, the Community Health Center (Puskesmas), and SSR St. Antonius Sarmi 2 (Malaria Perdhaki) collaborated with the Village Government, the Malaria Elimination Team, and community members to implement this activity. This effort reflects a shared commitment to follow up on the results of the village-level coordination meeting and the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) agreement held last February.

The Acting (PJ) Head of the Sarmi District Health Office emphasized the importance of comprehensive coverage in concrete actions toward malaria elimination during the opening of the activity. He instructed the team to ensure that every house in Tafarewar Village received spraying without exception.

“This is part of our journey toward malaria elimination. The insecticide used in IRS has long-lasting effectiveness, capable of killing as well as repelling Anopheles mosquitoes from residential areas,” he stated.

Residents and officers fostered a strong sense of togetherness throughout the activity. Starting at 10:00 AM WIT, the team moved from house to house with full support from the community. The entire activity was completed by 1:30 PM WIT in a safe and orderly manner. A communal lunch then concluded the event, symbolizing unity and collaboration.

The Head of Tafarewar Village expressed appreciation to the Health Office, the Puskesmas, and SSR St. Antonius Sarmi 2 (Malaria Perdhaki) for facilitating the activity. “We hope this collaboration will continue. We need to expand concrete actions that bring direct benefits to the community,” he affirmed.

The success of this initiative brings renewed hope for a reduction in malaria cases in Tafarewar Village, while also moving Indonesia one step closer to achieving malaria-free status.