Papua accounted for 93% of Indonesia’s 527,000 malaria cases in 2024, as elimination efforts continue to face multiple challenges — including local perceptions that normalise malaria as an ordinary illness, emphasising the need for more effective communication.
In several districts, including Keerom and Mimika, malaria transmission remains alarmingly high, with over 40% of the population infected each year. Papua’s rugged geography makes access to healthcare in remote areas difficult. In addition, there are at least seven variants of the local mosquito species (Anopheles farauti), each exhibiting complex behaviour, found across the region, including in Papua New Guinea.
