The Prevention and Treatment of Malaria in Traditional Medicine of Tetun Ethnic People in West Timor Indonesia

Abstract

Traditional medicine is a term imposed on pre-scientific medical systems, and defines as a sum total of knowledge, skills and practices based on theories, beliefs and experiences of different cultural customs used in health care, disease prevention and increased physical and mental performance, which have been used for generations from one generation to the next [3,4]. Malaria is an ancient disease that has not been fully eradicated until this time [5]. Since long time ago, malaria was the main infectious disease that often attacks Timorese people, especially in Belu and Malaka Districts in West Timor (Indonesia). Several old manuscripts noted that Timorese people in early of 19 th century were suffered from malaria which caused many deaths [6,7]. Until this time, Belu and Malaka Districts are still hyper-endemic areas of malaria. According to the Global Fund report, in 2014, Belu and Malaka Districts were classified as high malaria endemic areas, with the Annual Parasite Insidence (API) of 12.87o/oo and 11.58o/oo respectively, higher than Indonesian average API 1.38o/oo. Various programs for malaria prevention and eradication sponsored by the Indonesian Ministry of Health and World Health Organization such as insecticide-impregnated net, fogging, mass blood survey for early diagnosis and prompt treatment, and treat malaria patient using Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) have been implemented, but decreasing of the API value is still not too convincing [8].Cultural factors that influence public attitudes and acceptance on the programs of prevention and treatment of malaria are estimated to be one of the obstacles to the success of these programs. The implementation of various disease control programs and strategies often faces major challenges stemming from the social and cultural

Individual, host-vector interactions and environmental risk factors for Plasmodium knowlesi malaria among at-risk communities in Peninsular Malaysia: A case-control study

“…There are many socio-behavioral factors of these populations such as the location of their village which is often near the forest area and the way they use the forest as their main source of income, has made it favorable for them to be infected with malaria including knowlesi malaria. Nevertheless, a study conducted by Taek, Prajogo & Agil [33] on the traditional practice of the native people in West Timor, Indonesia has shown that these indigenous ethnic groups stayed in a village with an almost similar pro le to the Malaysian Orang Asli, has been practicing a traditional way to prevent them from become a malaria case. The practices include both herbal (drinking herbal concoctions, inhaling the vapor of boiled medicinal plants, massage with a paste of medicinal plant etc.)…”

Diversity in habit expands the environmental niche of Ziziphus (Rhamnaceae)

“…Z. jujuba is economically significant, with exports from China totaling $5 million annually (Gao et al, 2013). Many Ziziphus species have medicinal uses; Ziziphus spina-christi has been used to treat bilharzia (Almeer et al, 2018), and the leaf and bark of Ziziphus timoriensis are used to treat malaria (Taek et al, 2019).…”

“…Z. jujuba is economically significant, with exports from China totaling $5 million annually (Gao et al, 2013). Many Ziziphus species have medicinal uses; Ziziphus spina‐christi has been used to treat bilharzia (Almeer et al, 2018), and the leaf and bark of Ziziphus timoriensis are used to treat malaria (Taek et al, 2019). The wood of Ziziphus nummularia and Ziziphus rivularis are used for building materials or forage (Bhandari & Bhansali, 2000; Constant & Tshisikhawe, 2018).…”

The variation of malaria prevention measures knowledge and their associated factors: A cross-sectional study in East Nusa Tenggara Province Indonesia

“…Some studies on MPM had been conducted in the context of rural ENTP (18)(19)(20)(21)(22) A study on knowledge of LLINs and non-LLINs for rural community for this province indicated that rural adults in low endemic settings was knowledgeable with non-LLINs, whilst it was LLINs in high endemic settings (18). Another study on Tetun ethnicity in Timor island indicated that most of community in that group had knowledge on the traditional plants for preventing malaria (19). Other studies recruiting 1503 participants rural adults from 49 villages in ENTP reveals that the level of knowledge in some kinds of MPM of rural population was poor (20)(21)(22), however the disparity of MPM knowledge amongst different malaria endemic settings has not been investigated in those studies.…”

“…The recent study in the Eastern part of Indonesia, including in ENTP, indicated that the practice of various types of MPM differs amongst provinces (17). Some studies on MPM had been conducted in the context of rural ENTP (18)(19)(20)(21)(22) A study on knowledge of LLINs and non-LLINs for rural community for this province indicated that rural adults in low endemic settings was knowledgeable with non-LLINs, whilst it was LLINs in high endemic settings (18). Another study on Tetun ethnicity in Timor island indicated that most of community in that group had knowledge on the traditional plants for preventing malaria (19).…”