Minister of Health, Dr. dr. Siti Fadilah Supari, Sp.JP(K) declares Malaria Elimination in the top celebration of 2 nd World Malaria Day at Ministry of Health, on Wednesday, 6 May 2009. The Health Ministerial Decree concerning on Malaria Elimination was symbolically handed over to Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta; Prijanto, Head of Papua Provincial Health Office; dr. Bagus Sukaswara and NAD Provincial Health Office, dr. T.M. Tayeb, representing all governors in Indonesia.

This policy purposes on gradual malaria elimination in Indonesia, which is elimination in DKI, Bali, Barelang Binkar in 2010, Java, NAD, Riau Islands in 2015, Sumatera, West Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi in 2020, and Papua, West Papua, Maluku, North Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara in 2030. In her speech, read by Prof. Tjandra Yoga, Minister said that malaria response has been implemented in Indonesia since 50 years ago, starting from 12 November 1959 with KOPEM (malaria elimination command). It was initiated with house spraying to eliminate mosquito as malaria carrier by First President, Soekarno in Yogyakarta. It succeeded to decrease malaria cases significantly. Furthermore, this campaign is implemented though there was re-emerging because of economic recession, which then caused limited budget and facilities to eliminate malaria. Since government knows how people suffer from malaria, many efforts are intensively managed to eliminate it. During commemoration of 1 st World Malaria Day on 25 April 2008, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono re-emphasized efforts to increase awareness and preparedness toward malaria. These efforts are involved through education, socialization and advocacy to all people, skill and knowledge of personnel in treating and medicating malaria cases, as well as environmental health in order to avoid mosquito breeding. The 2 nd World Malaria Day with theme Toward Indonesia Free of Malaria and sub theme Free of Malaria: Good Performance; Free of Malaria: Healthy Citizen, Increased National Quality, and Free of Malaria, Don't Talk Only, Fight It Soon has purposes to improve commitment and performance of all related parties to Indonesia Free of Malaria. "Eliminating malaria must be managed with cooperation and spirit of partnership. It should be one integrated part of national development because it relates to many aspects, such as parasite, environment, public behavior and vector/mosquito aspects," said Minister. Activities in district/municipality, province and national levels should be well coordinated and get many supports that it has many roles toward Indonesia Free of Malaria. Directorate General of DC & EH, Prof. dr. Tjandra Yoga Aditama said that in celebrating World Malaria Day there is also a workshop with theme "Indonesia towards Malaria Elimination" with facilitators: Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Head of Papua Provincial Health Office, Head of NAD Provincial head Office, Prof. Ascobat Gani from University of Indonesia and Head of Armed Forces Medical Center. Hopefully, this workshop can facilitate all participants to understand how important to eliminate malaria both in technical and non technical aspects. On the other hand, local government policy concerning malaria elimination preparedness should give description about the urgency of malaria elimination totally. This information is released by Center for Public Communication, Secretariat General MOHRI. For queries, please call: 021-52907416-9 and 52921669, or send e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .