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The Star
14 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
Indonesia mobilises cross-border efforts to combat malaria in Papua
Papua New Guinea accounts for 26.4 percent of all malaria cases in the Asia Pacific. - Antara via The Jakarta Post/ANN JAKARTA: Amid the geographical and social complexities of Papua, new hope emerges through the formation of the Papua Malaria Consortium, a cross-sector strategic alliance born from the commitment of governors and the support of stakeholders to accelerate malaria elimination. "If we want Indonesia to be malaria-free, Papua is the key," said Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin during a press conference on Tuesday (June 17), held on the sidelines of the 9th Asia Pacific Leaders' Summit on Malaria Elimination in Bali, which brought together over 250 participants from 23 countries and regions and international organisations. He and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Ribka Haluk led a meeting with six governors from across Papua to develop a more targeted, cross-sector strategy. Papua, the easternmost region of Indonesia, accounts for over 93 per cent of the country's total malaria cases and has now become the epicentre of Indonesia's fight to eliminate the disease. According to Budi, elimination in Papua is not only a health target but also a step toward achieving social justice and strengthening an inclusive health system. Sarthak Das, chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance, expressed support for Indonesia's move to prioritise Papua in malaria elimination efforts. "Strong local leadership and cross-country collaboration are key to achieving the Asia Pacific region's malaria-free target by 2030," he said. This local commitment is also reinforced by the Bilateral Joint Action Plan signed between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea on Monday. The cross-border cooperation framework aims to ensure that malaria control efforts are carried out in an integrated and equitable manner in areas that are geographically and epidemiologically interconnected. Papua New Guinea accounts for 26.4 percent of all malaria cases in the Asia Pacific. Therefore, Das added, Indonesia's ability to gain control in Papua would be a vital signal that similar success is possible in Papua New Guinea. The Global Fund, one of the key funding partners, affirmed its commitment to supporting Indonesia's efforts focused on malaria elimination in Papua. "I acknowledge the significant progress made by Indonesia in its fight against malaria, and the Global Fund is fully committed to supporting its partners in the region to combat and eliminate malaria across the Asia Pacific," said Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund. Sands also welcomed the launch of "Indonesia's Call to End Malaria" at the high-level forum, a national initiative to push for comprehensive malaria elimination. Indonesia's efforts go beyond commitment. The government is expanding the distribution of bed nets, strengthening surveillance systems, increasing the number and capacity of local health workers, and implementing community-based approaches that respect local Papuan wisdom, alongside treatment and vaccine development. Although challenges remain, especially in terms of geographical access, climate change, and population mobility, these joint efforts show that malaria elimination is no longer a distant dream. With strong political will, international support, and data-driven strategies, Papua could become an inspiring malaria elimination success story for the region. - Xinhua
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Indonesian government eyes Bali, Labuan Bajo to develop medical tourism industry
Indonesia's first integrated medical tourism complex is expected to launch in Bali later in June. PHOTO: AFP JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin is considering popular tourist destinations such as Bali and Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara as strategic locations to develop Indonesia's medical tourism industry, amid efforts to reduce the number of citizens seeking medical treatment abroad. Mr Budi said that each year, an estimated one million to two million Indonesians travel abroad for medical treatment, primarily to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Independent
07-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Covid surge in Asia sparks concern about emergence of more infectious variants
India, Thailand, Indonesia, and several other countries in Asia have seen a surge in Covid cases since mid-May, sparking concerns about the emergence of more infectious variants of the novel coronavirus. India, which currently has more than 5,700 active Covid cases, reported four deaths from the infection over the last 24 hours. Although hospitalisations due to Covid remain low, India's health ministry is urging the public to remain careful, get tested quickly when symptoms appear, and continue to use masks in crowded spaces. In Thailand, hundreds of Covid patients have required hospitalisation since the beginning of June, while at least one has succumbed to the virus. The country reported 28,300 cases over just the first two days of this month, with the Bangkok metropolitan area accounting for the bulk of them. According to the Department of Disease Control, at least 70 people have died from Covid in the Southeast Asian country so far in 2025, mostly in large cities. The death rate has hovered around 0.106 per 100,000 people, suggesting the virus has not become deadlier. Indonesia has advised its healthcare institutions to remain vigilant and boost Covid surveillance amid a surge in infections attributed to new highly transmissible but less deadly variants of the coronavirus. "Cases are indeed increasing, but the rise is caused by variants that are relatively less deadly,' health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin told reporters earlier this week. Health authorities are monitoring Omicron subvariants LF.7 and NB.1.8.1 for driving the ongoing surge in infections in Asia. These strains are not yet labelled as variants of concern but are only suspected to be causing an increase in Covid cases. The NB.1.8.1 subvariant has previously been reported in Thailand, Australia, China, Britain and the US. It's already known to be a recombinant virus formed from the merging of two coronavirus variants. Lara Herrero, a virologist from Griffith University in Australia, suspects that NB.1.8.1 spread more easily than other variants. Studies of the variant on cultured laboratory tissues reveal that the new strain has the strongest ability to bind to human cell receptors, facilitating its entry into cells. 'Using lab-based models, researchers found NB.1.8.1 had the strongest binding affinity to the human ACE2 receptor of several variants tested, suggesting it may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains,' Dr Herrero wrote last month in The Conversation. Fatigue, sore throat, nasal congestion, and gut discomfort are widely reported to be the main symptoms of infection by the new strains. According to the World Health Organisation, current Covid vaccines should protect against severe symptoms caused by the newly reported variants. In India, though, nearly 50 per cent of the new infections are still caused by the older JN.1 strain, according to data from the country's SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium. Most people who get infected experience only mild symptoms that disappear on their own or with over-the-counter drugs such as cough medicines, analgesics and decongestants. However, vulnerable groups such as the elderly or those with comorbid conditions are being urged to seek hospital care if symptoms appear. Healthcare experts urge infected individuals experiencing shortness of breath, extreme fatigue or blood oxygen levels below 95 per cent to immediately seek medical attention.
Barnama
05-06-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Indonesia Banks On Tech In US$240 Bln Healthcare Overhaul
By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar JAKARTA, June 5 (Bernama) -- Indonesia expects its healthcare spending to hit US$240 billion over the next five years, with approximately one-third allocated to procuring medical equipment and developing health technology. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said Indonesia would need an additional US$84 billion over five years - about three times its current healthcare budget - to match healthcare service standards comparable to neighbouring Malaysia. bootstrap slideshow 'This is the right time to act. Let us build a resilient and modern Indonesian healthcare system together,' he said in a statement on Thursday, emphasising the need for technology-driven solutions to ensure the system remains robust and responsive. The Health Ministry said Indonesia is undergoing a critical healthcare transformation, with medical technology such as the PCSK9 inhibitor - a next-generation cholesterol-lowering injection - playing a key role in building a resilient and sustainable system amid fiscal constraints. Budi Gunadi said the drug would be rolled out to 500 hospitals nationwide, providing a more efficient alternative to traditional therapies that require daily administration. "The PCSK9 drug is a game-changer, and just one example of the many medical innovations we can adopt,' he said. -- BERNAMA
Arab News
04-06-2025
- General
- Arab News
Indonesia's health ministry issues warning over COVID-19 surge in Asia
JAKARTA: Indonesia's government has urged healthcare facilities to step up COVID-19 surveillance, as a more transmissible omicron subvariant drives a surge in cases across Asia. Parts of Asia have been reporting a new wave of infections since last month, especially Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. The new spread of the coronavirus that brought the world to a standstill a few years ago has been linked to JN.1, a highly transmissible variant of the omicron strain of COVID-19. It emerged in late 2023 and spread globally through early 2024, becoming one of the dominant variants in many countries. Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin met with President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday to report on the country's COVID-19 situation. 'Cases are indeed increasing, but the rise is caused by variants that are relatively less deadly,' Sadikin told reporters after the meeting. His statement comes after Indonesia's Health Ministry issued a circular last week instructing regional agencies, hospitals, community centers and other medical service facilities across the country to monitor case trends and report unusual conditions. Health quarantine facilities are also instructed to 'step up surveillance on people, transportation and items coming from abroad, especially those from countries that are reporting surges in COVID-19 cases,' the circular stated. Indonesia has confirmed 72 COVID-19 cases and reported no deaths in 2025, the latest data from the Health Ministry showed. The caseload was at seven from last week alone, with the positive rate declining to 2.05 percent from a peak of 3.62 percent the previous week. Indonesia was among the hardest-hit countries in Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a cumulative death toll of around 162,000, it has the second-highest number in the region, after 533,000 recorded in India.
