The Invisible Disease: Malaria in Asia-Pacific

This photo shows Alor's traditional healer, Francisca Kavori taking a blood test. Francisca is recovering from an attack of Plasmodium falciparum malaria at the Mebung Primary Health Centre at the remote Alor Island on the eastern edge of the Lesser Sundas Archipelago, Indonesia. She is having her blood sampled as a follow-up to check on the progress of her recovery. It shows that even the local "jamu" ( Indonesian term for healer ) cannot heal herself but has to rely on science. Mebung Primary Health Centre is a government operated clinic offering free diagnosis and treatment of malaria, one of many hundreds of such clinics scattered all across Indonesia’s thousands of sparsely populated outer islands. Many patients coming to Mebung will have travelled hours to be seen, often at great cost. Some will come only after they deteriorate and may not be saved. Access to adequate healthcare for those living in remote areas is one of Indonesia’s greatest challenges in eliminating malaria. (Photograph: Pearl Gan)
Derek Connor

Derek Connor

Derek is a PhD student in the Marine Optics & Remote Sensing group at Strathclyde. He is also the Submissions Editor here at the GIST.

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