Evaluation by villagers of the malaria control project on Lombok and Sumbawa Islands, west Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia.

The cooperative malaria control project between Indonesian and Japanese institutions was conducted from 2001 to 2004 at small malaria endemic foci on Lombok and Sumbawa Islands. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of the project according to the opinions of the villagers. We conducted a KAP survey of a simple random sample of 300 householders on each island. The conclusion of the study was that the project reduced malaria incidence significantly on Lombok. However, the effects were not as clear on Sumbawa. Poor socio-economic status and lack of school education were important related factors. Therefore, health education, or behavioral change communication, was an essential component of malaria control.

Distribution of two species of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, on Lombok Island, Indonesia.

Medical and entomological surveys were conducted to determine the risk factors of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax infections on Lombok Island, Indonesia, to find the risk factors and the main mosquito vectors for each malaria. Multivariate longitudinal analysis demonstrated two significant risk factors for infection with P. falciparum: disappearance of P. vivax parasitemia (p<0.001) and a specific study site (p<0.001). In contrast, younger age (p=0.024) and the interpolated virtual density of An. subpictus (p=0.041) were significantly associated with increased risk of infection with P. vivax. Thus, it seems that the distribution of P. vivax was determined largely by the presence of An. subpictus, whilst that of P. falciparum was influenced by antagonism with P. vivax. This result shows the importance of following-up treated P. vivax patients to identify recrudescence of P. falciparum in this area.