VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia, with almost half of its population residing in malaria-endemic areas, aims to be free of the mosquito-borne disease by 2020. Malaria is a potentially deadly disease caused by parasites and transmitted to people through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito, but it can be prevented. Hence, malaria elimination initiatives have officially been declared by the Indonesian Ministry of Health, which has set a target to free the country of the disease by 2020 through total eradication. The Ministry of Health aims to build partnerships and step up integration for malaria control with antenatal care and Expanded Programme of Immunization activities to ensure sustainability and to develop a routine malaria control program.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that in the outer island groups of Indonesia, the incidence of malaria is much higher, with an almost equal prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections. Global fund is supporting the malaria control program in Indonesia through intensification of malaria prevention and control activities. In the first round, the Ministry of Health is targeting to reduce malaria morbidity in five areas, with the highest endemicity, all of which are in the eastern Indonesian provinces. The WHO is also extending continued technical support to the Malaria Transmission Consortium that is supporting the malaria operational research through four universities in the country.

During this time, the number of malaria endemic areas in Indonesia is quite high, so Health Minister Nila F. Moeloek has expressed hope that there would be no more casualties due to malaria in future. The health minister has stated that the spread of malaria in the highest endemic areas are in the provinces of Papua, West Papua, and East Nusa Tenggara. Hence, the government is targeting no other high-risk areas of malaria by 2020.

All districts and cities are expected to be free of malaria by 2025, while all provinces are expected to achieve the target by 2027, and Indonesia is hoped to realize total elimination by 2030. Hence, prevention of malaria disease will need vigilance of health workers, government, and society to prevent the infectious disease.

"We are working hard for achieving total elimination of malaria," the minister said.

Malaria is a major public health problem in most tropical countries, including Indonesia, with some of its provinces in the eastern region recording high number of cases of this deadly disease. The Indonesian Ministry of Health has appealed to the public, especially tourists, to be wary of the transmission of malaria.

Based on data from the Ministry of Health, malaria is still endemic in the provinces of Papua, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku, and West Papua, as the achievement of the target to eliminate the deadly diseases in these provinces is still zero percent. 

The Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA) has recorded that of the 80 percent malaria cases in Indonesia in 2017, Papua Province has reported the highest number of cases of the deadly disease, followed by East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and West Papua. The APLMA is an alliance of Asian and Pacific heads of government formed to accelerate progress against malaria and to achieve an Asia Pacific that is free of malaria by 2030.

In East Nusa Tenggara Province last year, the local Health Office recorded that as many as 29 thousand malaria cases had plagued the communities in the island province, with cases reported in the district of Sumba Island, followed by Lembata, Ende, and Belu.

In the province of Papua alone, the local Health Office has reported that four districts and the city of Jayapura remain endemic to the spread of malaria disease, with a very high number. The Papua Health Office stated that the highest rate was recorded in the district of Mimika, followed by Keerom, Jayapura, and the city of Jayapura.

To this end, the local health office has been striving to reduce the number of malaria cases in these four districts and other areas in the province of Papua.

Interestingly, the government of Teluk Bintuni District in West Papua last year was quite successful in suppressing malaria cases. The people in Teluk Bintuni District have been actively participating in the malaria elimination program for the last few years. The local Health Office has involved members of the community as health cadres, and the volunteers are trained to provide early treatment of malaria.

Malaria, the world`s most important parasitic infectious disease, is transmitted by mosquitoes that breed in fresh or occasionally brackish water. The symptoms of malaria include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, and jaundice, or yellow coloring of the skin and eyes. Convulsions, coma, severe anemia, and kidney failure can also occur. The severity and range of symptoms depend on the specific type of malaria. In certain types, the infection can remain inactive for up to five years and then recur. In areas with intense malaria transmission, people can develop protective immunity after repeated infections. Without prompt and effective treatment, malaria can evolve into a severe cerebral form followed by death.

The trend of sharia economy in the financing activities in Indonesia, particularly in Central Java, is good and is growing by 9 to 10 percent, Bank Indonesia (BI) said.

"In 2017, the assets of (sharia-compliant banks) made up around 7 percent of the banking industry`s total assets," Chief of the BI Representative Office in Central Java, Hamid Ponco Wibowo, stated in Semarang, Central Java on Monday.

Despite having small assets, the financing activities of sharia-compliant banks continued to grow amid the ever-increasingly competitive banking climate, he noted. The sharia economy is divided into banking and non-banking sectors. However, only the banking sector has drawn more attention, he added.

"The sharia economy still has many potential to be explored. The distribution of credits from sharia-compliant banks is better than those of conventional banks," he remarked.

Hence, BI is cooperating with the Indonesian Association of Sharia-Compliant Banks (Asbisindo) in familiarizing the public, particularly students, with sharia economy, he revealed.

"Only recently, we simultaneously taught sharia economy to some 6 thousand students. Hopefully, the activity will serve as information media to promote sharia economy from now on," he explained.

The education on sharia economy should be developed from the grassroots, including students, in order to make them aware of the potentials they can explore from the sharia economy, he elaborated. He noted that BI is also teaming up with Islamic boarding schools to develop their business potentials as part of the efforts to boost sharia economy. To that end, BI has designated two Islamic boarding schools as pilot projects to develop sharia economy, he pointed out.

Palestinian delegation cannot participate in the High Level World Muslims Consultation Summit on Wasatiyyaat Islam (Islam Middle Way)  held in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia due to important issues in the country. Counselor of Palestinian Embassy to Indonesia Taher Hamad to RRI World Service-Voice of Indonesia said there are many reasons why the delegation of his country cannot attend the meeting which takes place from 1-3 May 2018. According to Hamad, on May 1st, the National Council and the leaders of the country are preparing to face the plans of US President Donald Trump to move his Embassy to Jerusalem.

"Yes, there are many reasons because you know May 1, we are counting the days because America, especially President Trump, promised Israel to move the country's embassy to Jerusalem, so most of our leaders are bearers of society are getting ready for how to deal with the action President Trump,"Taher Hamad said.

According to Taher Hamad, Deputy Grand Mulfti of Palestina, Syeh Ibrahim Awatalla has been appointed to represent the country in this meeting, however the importance of the problems faced by the Palestinians has made him to cancel his participation in the summit in Bogor. In addition, Hamad also said the Palestinian ambassador to Indonesia also cannot replace his country's representatives, because Ambassador Dr. Zuhair Alshun is in Lampung Province, Sumatra, to attend a meeting organized by the Muslim community which aims to provide support for Palestine. (VOI/DP/AHM)

President Joko Widodo welcomed the High Level Consultation Meeting – World Muslim Scholars on Wasatiyat Al-Islam, Tuesday (01/05) at the Bogor Palace, West Java. According to him, the forum is a means of sharing experiences for the scholars attending the forum to develop tolerance, and become the pioneer for the benefit of the society. At the opening of the consultation forum, President Joko Widodo affirmed Indonesia's commitment in supporting the emergence of the world’s moderate Islamic axis. In a meeting attended by scholars from Indonesia and the world, President Joko Widodo said through moderate Islamic movements, Muslims will be able to show the world that Islam is a religion that can be a blessing to the universe.

"The position of Indonesia is very clear. We encourage and are deeply committed to the birth of the world’s Islamic axis. We are convinced by Islamic wasathiyah. We want to show the world that Islam is a religion that rahmatan lil alamin, becomes a blessing for the whole universe, "said President Joko Widodo.

Furthermore, the President added, in addition to being a forum for sharing experiences, the High Level Consultation Meeting – World Muslim Scholars on Wasatiyat Al-Islam can be the foundation to build moderate Islamic movement with the worldwide. It is expected the forum can inspire the world’s leaders, ulama and young generation to be firm on the path of moderate Islam. He also emphasized the importance of the role of ulama as the heir of the prophet and the symbol of the example of the ummah. The president said he was optimistic that the cleric unity would be able to push the moderate Islamic axis to become the main stream and could give hope for the birth of a peaceful and prosperous world. (VOI / NDY / RINI/TRANS AHM)