Eliminasi Malaria Melalui Optimalisasi Penggunaan Kelambu Insektisida di Daerah Endemik Kabupaten Sumbawa

Abstract

Malaria remains a significant public health problem in several endemic regions of Indonesia, including Sumbawa Regency. The transmission and spread of malaria are strongly influenced by the presence of Anopheles mosquitoes as the primary vector. One of the strategies to reduce malaria cases is the distribution of Insecticide-Treated bed Nets (ITNs) to populations living in malaria-endemic areas. This community service activity aimed to improve community knowledge and understanding of malaria prevention through the appropriate use of insecticide-treated bed nets. The methods employed included health education, demonstrations on the proper use of insecticide-treated bed nets, education on mosquito breeding site control, and evaluation using pre-test and post-test assessments. The results demonstrated an improvement in participants' knowledge following the health education sessions. In addition, participants showed enthusiasm throughout the activity and expressed their commitment to using insecticide-treated bed nets regularly as a malaria prevention measure. It can therefore be concluded that health education had a positive impact on improving community knowledge regarding the use of insecticide-treated bed nets. Continuous health education and multisectoral collaboration are essential to support the successful implementation of malaria elimination programs within the community.