Malaria screening in Papua increases by 337 per cent in 2021-2025 as government strengthens detection and treatment
The ministry’s Head of Communication and Public Information Bureau, Aji Muhawarman, on Tuesday informed that these screenings have resulted in a 136 percent increase in case detection, with approximately 282,000 cases detected in 2021 and 667,000 cases in 2025.
“This shows that the increase in reported cases is not solely due to increased transmission, but rather because of the improvement in detection systems. Now, unreported infections can be detected and treated,” he said.
He also stated that the Annual Blood Examination Rate (ABER) in Papua has increased significantly, from around 22 percent in 2021 to around 74 percent in 2025. This indicates that more people are being tested, leading to earlier detection of cases.
“At the same time, the positivity rate has actually decreased from around 29 percent to around 16 percent,” Muhawarman added.
On malaria trends, he reported that 699,992 cases and 124 deaths were recorded in 2025. As of February 23, 2026, the figure stood at 53,246 cases with 20 deaths.
He highlighted the government’s commitment to strengthening rapid diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and vector control to sustainably reduce transmission in Papua.
Therefore, this year malaria screening under the Free Health Check (CKG) program will be gradually rolled out in high-endemic areas, considering the disease burden, service readiness, and regional diagnostic capacity.
He said that nationwide, malaria is moving toward elimination in most areas, but the burden remains concentrated in Papua. About 95 percent of cases come from the region, which has become the country’s malaria epicenter.
“Most Indonesian districts/cities have actually achieved malaria elimination, demonstrating significant progress in the national program. However, in Papua, only three of 42 districts have achieved malaria elimination,” Muhawarman pointed out.
According to him, malaria medications remain highly effective in treating the disease, particularly in Papua where cases are concentrated. He added that authorities continue to conduct routine monitoring to detect any decline in drug efficacy in certain areas.
“Therapeutic efficacy studies conducted by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the WHO and partners in 2024–2025, showed that the main drug, Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine (DHP), as well as alternatives, Artesunate-Pyronaridine (ASPY) and Artemether-Lumefantrine (AL), still work very well. No delays in parasite clearance (a key indicator of resistance) were found,” he explained.
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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Resinta Sulistiyandari