AI-BASED MALARIA DETECTION SYSTEM LAUNCHED BY INDONESIA

Sat 12 April 2025:

Indonesia has been developing an artificial intelligence (AI)-based malaria detection system that will use data from various places around the country to recognize distinct malaria parasite species, according to the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

“This technology utilizes morpho-geometric feature extraction to identify the size and shape of infected blood cells,” said Anto Satriyo Nugroho, head of BRIN’s Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, in a press release on Wednesday.

The AI system is designed to detect a patient’s malaria infection status automatically by analyzing blood smear microphotographs.

Although one of the most difficult aspects of building the system is the parasite’s changing morphology throughout the mosquito’s life cycle, BRIN is optimistic that the technology will make a substantial contribution to malaria eradication efforts in Indonesia.

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BRIN has also encouraged collaboration among scholars, industry, and government to create AI that is relevant to local requirements.

Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, remains a global health crisis, though progress has been made. In 2023, the WHO reported 247 million cases and 619,000 deaths, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa, where 95% of cases occur.

Children under five account for 80% of deaths. Nigeria, Congo, India, and Mozambique bear the heaviest burden. The Anopheles mosquito spreads it, thriving in warm, humid areas. Symptoms—fever, chills, fatigue—can turn deadly without treatment. Prevention hinges on insecticide-treated nets, spraying, and drugs like artemisinin-based therapies, which cure most cases if caught early.

Vaccines like RTS,S and R21, rolled out in Africa, offer hope but aren’t foolproof. Climate change worsens things—warmer temperatures expand mosquito ranges. Funding gaps and drug resistance threaten gains; global spending hit $4.1 billion in 2023, but $8 billion is needed annually to meet 2030 targets.

Innovations, like Indonesia’s AI detection, aim to help, but malaria’s grip persists, killing a child every minute.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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