PERKASA Cadre Program Receives National Recognition at the Leimena Conference 2026

MALARIA PERDHAKI – JAKARTA. Three scientific abstracts showcasing evidence and operational best practices from the Perkuat Kader Satu (PERKASA) Cadre Program received national recognition at the Leimena Conference 2026, the Indonesian Primary Health Care Scientific Conference. The event was organized by the Directorate General of Primary and Community Health, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, and took place from 27–29 July 2026 at the BRIN Auditorium in Jakarta.

The three abstracts were developed through a collaboration between Malaria Perdhaki and OUCRU Indonesia (OUCRU ID). Dr. Yohanes Ari Hermawan, Program Manager of Malaria Perdhaki, and Rivaldi, Integration Consultant, contributed to the preparation of the abstracts. From OUCRU ID, Lenny L. Ekawati, Aria A. Satwiko, and Iqbal R.F. Elyazar were also key contributors to the project.

"Receiving national recognition from the Leimena Conference 2026 is a great honor for Malaria Perdhaki. This recognition validates our team's hard work, innovation, and contribution to strengthening primary health care. PERKASA Cadres reinforce integrated primary health care because they are trusted by communities, supported through supervision by primary health centers, cross-program coordination, adequate logistics, and clear referral and feedback mechanisms," said dr. Ari.

The PERKASA Cadre Program is a transformation and training initiative developed by Malaria Perdhaki to expand the role of Malaria Cadres into integrated community health workers addressing three major infectious diseases: malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis (TB).

Currently, 90 PERKASA Cadres are serving in three high-burden districts in Papua—Jayapura, Merauke, and Nabire—where malaria, TB, and HIV remain significant public health challenges. Their responsibilities include providing community education, conducting initial screening, and referring suspected malaria, TB, and HIV cases to health facilities.

During the past six months (January–June 2026), PERKASA Cadres provided health education to 17,381 households and conducted malaria screening for 48,092 community members. They also referred 303 individuals with suspected tuberculosis, 243 with suspected HIV infection, and 66 individuals suspected of having TB-HIV co-infection.

The three abstracts recognized at the Leimena Conference 2026 were "From Implementation to Policy: Lessons from the PERKASA Program for Strengthening Primary Health Care Integration in Indonesia," which was selected for an Oral Abstract Presentation; "From Disease-Specific Cadres to Integrated Community Health Workers: Capacity Development to Support Primary Health Care Integration in Papua," which was accepted for publication in the conference proceedings; and "Integrated Community Health Workers as a Bridge to Primary Health Care: Lessons from the Implementation of the PERKASA Cadre Program in Papua," which was selected for a Digital Poster Presentation.