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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Indonesia : Logging Takes the Bite Out of Efforts to Squash Malaria

Via Jakarta Globe :

" The Health Ministry has high hopes of eradicating malaria in the country, but says massive deforestation — which pushes parasite-carrying animals toward urban areas — has threatened its efforts to combat the disease.

Tjandra Yoga Aditama, the ministry’s director general for disease control, said Indonesia was expected to be malaria-free by 2030, with the number of infections decreasing every year.

“In 2009 and last year, malaria elimination efforts posted good results,” he said on Sunday in marking World Malaria Day, which falls on April 25 each year.

“The number of infections continues to decrease in each province, although not at the same rate,” he added.

There were 544,470 reported cases of the mosquito-borne disease last year, 900 of which were fatal, according to the ministry.

The annual incidence of infection per 1,000 people also fell from 4.6 in 1990 to 1.96 last year.

The ministry said Jakarta became malaria-free last year, with Bali and Batam expected to follow suit this year."

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