Initiative: Reducing Malaria Cases Through Early Diagnosis and Treatment (EDAT)
Institution: Dinas Kesehatan Kabupaten Teluk Bintuni
Problem: Teluk Bintuni is a regency in West Papua Province. 50 per cent of this regency is covered with mangrove forests while another 50 per cent is difficult to reach. In Indonesia, 70 per cent of malaria cases occurred in Papua and West Papua Provinces, including in Bintuni Regency. A baseline survey in 2004/2005 showed that malaria mortality rate in Bintuni (prevalence) was 9 per cent and that 1 out of 11 people in this area is malaria positive, whereby the most vulnerable groups are pregnant women, babies and children.
Solution: Due to the high malaria cases in Bintuni Regency, the EDAT program was developed. This program is a collaboration of various parties and partnerships between the local government, non-governmental organizations and members of the private sector. EDAT system is implemented through the establishment of Juru Malaria Kampung or Malaria Specialist (JMK) in remote areas, repackaging of malaria drugs for convenience among undereducated people, utilization of malaria kits, malaria social marketing programs and integrated quality assurance.
Impact: As of 2017, the EDAT program has succeeded in reducing the malaria prevalence rate from 9.2 per cent in 2006 to 0.02 per cent in 12 pilot villages. This program also managed to reduce the malaria morbidity rate from 114.9 per 1,000 people to 2.7 per 1,000 people (2016) in Bintuni Regency. This program has made significant impacts, particularly to the most vulnerable groups to malaria attacks who are pregnant women, infants and toddlers. The total number of pregnant women examined for malaria in 2016 was 1,063 and 962 in 2017.