Malaria Facts in Indonesia

Malaria already killed more than 30 thousand people and affects 10 - 12 million people annually. Children infected with malaria have fever, headaches, nausea and flu-like symptoms. Without the right treatment, symptoms will persist followed by seizures, coma and eventually death. Those who survive acute attacks will suffer from brain damage. Repeated infection with malaria can cause anemia, fatigue and defective physical growth.

Pregnant women and fetus infected with malaria are vulnerable to anemia, placenta infection, and mother to be risk delivering underweight babies. Around 50 percent of the Indonesia population are vulnerable to malaria, with the most vulnerable being in the eastern part of Indonesia, from East Nusa Tenggara to maluku and Papua. Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi have moderate and low malaria transmission rates whereas Jakarta and Bali have zero to low transmission rates.

Malaria is endemic in poor regions of Indonesia. Families infected with malaria spend at least a quarter of their income on treatment and prevention. Malaria prevention is the most important part of poverty eradication. Each year, US$ 400 million is needed to fund malaria prevention and treatment activities in Indonesia of which $ 100 million is used to support the health system and operation. In 2008, $ 40 million was spent on Malaria and the amount covered only 10 percent of total needs. Malaria patients can be treated with chloroquinine and sulphadoxine pyrimethanine.