The Ministry of Health encourages serious treatment of AIDS, TB, and Malaria in Papua Mountains

Illustration - Anopheles female mosquitoes that are infectious cause malaria. ANTARA/HO-Xinhua/aa

WAMENA - The Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) through the Association of Health Services (Adinkes) throughout Indonesia hopes that Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria or ATM in Papua Mountains will be handled seriously to prevent as many casualties as possible.

Member of the Indonesian Adinkes Executive Body, the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Ferdinan J Laihad said that the handling of ATM disease must be carried out properly so that it can be controlled.

"We hope that the regional government, both the province and the district, can seriously encourage this ATM disease program so that there is synchronization between the central and regional government programs so that the disease can be eliminated," he said as quoted by Antara, Sunday, April 12.

According to him, the control of ATM disease cannot be done by the Health Service, both provincial and district, but requires the role of cross-sectors both at the center and at the district level as well as the community.

"Support across sectors of government and non-government institutions and the community can control ATM disease in the Papua Mountains region," he said.

In this handling, his party focuses on six areas in the Papua Mountains which have indeed received support from global organizations or global funds for the eradication of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria around the world.

"This initiative can actually be developed in the treatment of ATM disease in districts/cities throughout Indonesia. Meanwhile, the global fund is currently the locus for planning and managing this disease in only six districts that are monitored," he said.

He added that the six priority areas in the Papua Mountains were Jayawijaya Regency, Nduga, Yahukimo, Central Mamberamo, Yalimo and Bintang Mountains.

"We hope that ATM disease in Papua Highlands can really be handled well so that the community can live in peace and prosperity," he said.

He admitted that there was no change in the locus of intervention related to the handling of ATM disease in Papua Mountains.

"However, there are security issues, so the way it is a bit changed to avoid unnecessary victims, by combining the implementation in certain places, with the approval of the central Adinkes," he said.