The Key to Malaria Elimination in Southwest Papua: Training for Village Malaria Cadres and Mentors in Sorong

MALARIA PERDHAKI—SORONG. Village Malaria Cadres (Juru Malaria Desa or JMD) serve as the community's frontline in providing healthcare services to prevent, detect, and treat malaria. Armed with sincerity and hard work, the hope for a malaria-free Papua now rests in their hands.

To strengthen this role, Malaria Perdhaki held a training workshop for JMD cadres and their mentors at the Rylich Panorama Hotel in Sorong, Southwest Papua, from September 8–12, 2026. A total of 30 cadres and 3 mentors from various community health centers (puskesmas) participated in the event, accompanied by three health office staff members representing Tambrauw Regency, Sorong Regency, and Sorong City.

During the training, JMD cadres gained an in-depth understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Topics covered included basic mapping of mosquito breeding sites—such as puddles and water containers in village areas—as well as early detection, treatment, and monitoring patients to ensure full medication adherence. Additionally, cadres were trained in record-keeping, case reporting, logistics management, and financial administration. Meanwhile, mentor cadres were prepared to conduct effective supervision and report verification.

Tak hanya teknis kesehatan, peserta juga dibekali pemahaman mengenai prinsip kesetaraan gender serta Pencegahan Eksploitasi, Kekerasan, dan Pelecehan Seksual (Preventing Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment atau PSEAH) dalam pelaksanaan program di lapangan.

The interactive training featured group discussions, role-playing simulations, practical training on rapid diagnostic tests, and field visits for door-to-door active case finding.

"We sincerely hope the presence of these cadres will support our malaria control efforts at both the regency/city and provincial levels. You all play a central role because you live directly among the community," said Mr. Chrestofol Untajana, SKM, M.Kes., Person-in-Charge of the Malaria Program at the Health, Population Control, and Family Planning Office (Dinkes P2KB) of Southwest Papua Province, in his opening remarks.

Mr. Chrestofol emphasized the importance of detecting every case quickly, accurately, and correctly without waiting for symptoms to appear—noting, for instance, that newcomers arriving in a village should be screened immediately. He also reminded cadres that treatment must be administered properly and that they should actively ensure patients complete their full course of medication.

This training program was organized by Malaria Perdhaki with funding support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund).