Health ministry says Java to be malaria free in 2015

The Health Ministry has announced its goal to free Java from malaria by 2015. Among the intentions set to support the target was increasing efforts for dissemination of Malaria prevention messages.

“We acknowledge the number of Malaria cases in Java are declining sharply, despite occasional outbreaks, such as the one reported in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, early this year,” director general of disease control and environmental health Tjandra Yoga Aditama said Monday as quoted by Antara news agency.

He said the ministry had been doing its best to prevent another instance of the 43 cases of Malaria reported in Kulon Progo. He said the ministry so far had donated 200 mosquito nets and 200 rapid diagnostic tests in addition to insecticide to the region. (drs)