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Govt develops AI-powered system to diagnose malaria
The malaria diagnosis system is vital for guiding treatment decisions, including choosing the right medication and assessing the severity of the disease.
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Anopheles mosquito (Shutterstock/Somboon Bunproy)
T
he National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is developing an artificial intelligence-powered diagnostic tool to detect malaria faster and more accurately as part of the government's ongoing efforts to eliminate the disease by 2030.
Puji Budi Setia Asih, a researcher at BRIN's Molecular Biology Research Center, explained that the use of AI is especially crucial given the limited number of trained malaria microscopists across the country, particularly in Papua, where the majority of Indonesia's malaria cases are found.
"According to data from the Health Ministry, only 750 out of 1,200 lab technicians under the ministry are qualified to perform malaria microscopy according to national standards,” Puji said on Wednesday.
“This highlighted a significant shortage of trained personnel to diagnose malaria, making microscopic examinations a challenge in many regions," she added.
Microscopic blood examination remains the gold standard for diagnosing malaria, even with the availability of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) that deliver quicker results with minimal equipment. Although RDTs typically have high accuracy—often with sensitivity (correctly identifying positive cases) and specificity (correctly identifying negative cases) exceeding 90 percent—they can still produce false negatives.
The malaria diagnosis system is vital for guiding treatment decisions, including choosing the right medication and assessing the severity of the disease.
Anto Satriyo Nugroho, Head of BRIN's AI and Cybersecurity Research Center, shared that the agency is developing an AI system designed to analyze microscope images of blood samples and detect malaria parasites.
