Indonesia

Background

Indonesia is located in Southeastern Asia, the archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited) straddling the equator in a strategic location along major sea lanes from the Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean. Sitting in what is commonly known as the “ring of fire” Indonesia is victim to floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; and forest fires. Vector borne diseases:

Dengue Fever, Chikingunya and Malaria are endemic in Indonesia and natural disasters often bring dramatic increases in the vulnerability of the population to these diseases.  Previous prevention methods are often lost in the crisis and the health infrastructure inhibited and unable to respond to the increased burden of disease.

The Tsunami of 2004 in Aceh and the earthquake of 2006 in Java brought The MENTOR Initiative to respond to the increased risk of vector borne diseases in the affected areas.