Written by Peter McKenzie, Rotary Club of Hillarys and Project Manager GG #2015867
This Global Grant project commenced in 2019 with discussions between Dr Jenny Kerrison, Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM) and Western Region Supervisor, PP Peter McKenzie in conjunction with Rotary Club of Hillarys D9455 who had previously undertaken a Malaria Control Project in Flores Island NTT Indonesia in 2010.
Partners for the Global Grant were International Partner Rotary Club of Hillarys, D9455, Host Rotary Club of Kupang Central D3420, and were supported by RAWCS Ltd via RAM Australia, Rotary Club of Queenbeyan ACT, D9705, 17 Rotary Clubs in D3420 Indonesia and 5 Districts who allocated District Designated Funds (DDF) included D3420 Indonesia, D9830 Victoria, D9705 ACT, D9455 and D9465 WA. These clubs Districts and RAWCS Ltd contributed Matched Contributions Plus World Funding of USD $125,350 for the project.
Later the Global Action Group Rotarians Against Malaria donated a further USD $21,000 for project use for the provision of Village Malaria Cadre which was received with appreciation.
The pictures received from West Timor project show the District Malaria Assistants (DMA) sampling mosquito larvae in the rice paddies. Malaria is endemic in the communities in the Border districts of Belu, Malaka and Kupang West Timor that are bordering Timor Leste.
Through the partnership with the Department of Health DMA’s are trained to assist Community Health Workers to identify cases of malaria for testing at the Puskesmas AKA local Health Centres. This is shown where the photographs have people being blood tested for parasites and provided medical assistance.
Work is continuing for the training of additional DMA’s and Village Malaria Cadres (VMC) in villages that are further away from Puskesmas Local health Centres to provide community support and surveillance to assist in reducing the incidence of local cases of Malaria.
Header photo shows the training for the Village Malaria Cadres just completed in August 2022 to complement the Zero Malaria Program in the Border districts of West Timor NTT Indonesia.
Peter McKenzie
The main header photo is the training for the Village Malaria Cadres just completed in August 2022 to complement the Zero Malaria Program in the Border districts of West Timor NTT Indonesia.