The Indonesian authorities have set an ambitious yet achievable goal to completely eradicate malaria by 2030. This was the focus of an international meeting in Nusa Dua, where delegates from 23 countries in the Asia-Pacific region gathered.
Indonesia not only hosted the event but also emerged as a leader in the fight against the disease. The illness still poses a threat to millions of people. High infection rates are reported in India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and other countries, and efforts to contain its spread are hindered by active migration, zoonotic forms of the pathogen, drug resistance, and climate change.
Bali has practically defeated malaria: all nine administrative districts in the province were certified as “free of local transmission” by the end of 2021. Nevertheless, the healthcare system continues round-the-clock monitoring to prevent the reintroduction of the disease through imported cases; for tourists and locals, the risk of infection remains minimal.
In Indonesia, the most severe situation persists in the provinces of Papua, so efforts are concentrated there. The Ministry of Health funds local programs, works with villages, and fosters inter-agency cooperation. Acting Papua Governor Ramses Lembong confirmed the region's readiness to achieve results.
International support is also present. The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, praised Indonesia for its initiative in his address to the participants and emphasized that malaria eradication is achievable, though without firm political will and stable funding, defeating the disease will be challenging.
The Acting Director General for Disease Control at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Murti Utami, is confident that the countries in the region have enough resources: accumulated experience, close work with local communities, and innovative approaches. The main thing is to maintain the pace and work together. If successful, malaria could indeed become a thing of the past in a few years.
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