Jakarta, June 17 -- Indonesia has reiterated its strong commitment to lead regional efforts to eliminate malaria in the Asia-Pacific by 2030, as expressed during the 9th Asia Pacific Leaders' Summit on Malaria.

"Malaria is not just a health issue -- it is deeply connected to justice, development, security, and public policy," said Murti Utami, Acting Director General of Disease Control at the Indonesian Health Ministry, in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Utami noted that despite notable progress in several countries, the Asia-Pacific region still faces significant challenges. These include a high burden of cases, cross-border mobility, zoonotic malaria, drug resistance, and the impacts of climate change.

"We are not startin...