Indonesia Aims to Conduct 8 Million Malaria Tests as Cases Rise

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia has stated its goal to conduct 8 million malaria tests to identify 1.1 million cases of malaria in the country, as estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO). The increase in malaria cases is concerning, with 543,965 cases reported in 2024, a significant rise from around 418 thousand in 2023 and 440 thousand in 2022. Notably, 93% of the detected cases were concentrated in Papua, while the figure is still far below WHO's estimate of 1.1 million cases.

Key Takeaways:

• The Ministry of Health aims to conduct 8 million malaria tests to identify 1.1 million cases of malaria, as estimated by the WHO.
• The number of malaria cases in Indonesia rose to 543,965 in 2024, a significant increase from 418 thousand in 2023 and 440 thousand in 2022.
• 93% of the detected cases were concentrated in Papua, a region still plagued by the disease.
• 401 cities and districts have eliminated malaria, while 5 provinces (Bali, Jakarta, Banten, West Java, and East Java) have been malaria-free as of 2024.
• 90% of Indonesians already live in malaria-free areas, but 60 low-endemic areas, 23 moderate-endemic cities and districts, and 30 high-endemic areas persist.
• The Ministry is implementing various efforts to address the issue, including enhancing detection, prevention, and response measures.

Statistics:

• 543,965 malaria cases reported in Indonesia in 2024.
• 93% of detected cases concentrated in Papua.
• 401 cities and districts have eliminated malaria as of 2024.
• 5 provinces (Bali, Jakarta, Banten, West Java, and East Java) have been malaria-free as of 2024.
• 90% of Indonesians live in malaria-free areas.
• 60 low-endemic areas, 23 moderate-endemic cities and districts, and 30 high-endemic areas persist.

Sources:

• ANTARA (2025) "Indonesia Aims to Conduct 8 Million Malaria Tests as Cases Rise"
• World Health Organization (WHO) (no date) "Estimated number of malaria cases in Indonesia"