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■Bio-mathematics, Statistics and Nano-Technologies: Mosquito Control Strategies

17.2

MOSQUITO TRANSMITTED MALARIA IN MALAWI

Malawi accounts for 2% of malaria cases worldwide having about 4 million cases ev-

ery year. It is among the top 20 countries when looking at high malaria burden [1,3]. This is

the most common cause of outpatient visits, hospitalization, and death in Malawi [4]. The

disease is recurrent in most parts of the country, and increases during the rainy season, that

normally begins in November and lasts through April [4]. The lowest risk areas are in the

northern part of the country (in high altitude), where the highest malaria transmitted areas

are in the southern part of the country, where the climate is warmer, wet and humid [4].

Plasmodium falciparum is the most common parasite species causing malaria in Malawi. It

accounts for 98% of the infections, and all severe disease cases and deaths, where children

under the age of 5 years and pregnant women are at highest risk [4, 5].

In addition to ill-health, malaria has a severe socioeconomic effect on households, com-

munities, and the national levels, particularly those with low social economic status, mostly

in the rural areas. For adults this includes loss of work and high levels of expenditure on

malaria treatment, and for children they will lack education because of absence from school

due to illness [5].

Since 2005, the Malawi government has been combatting the disease, and imple-

menting malaria control programs. Focusing on >85% of its population, these strategies

are directed at preventing the mosquitos from biting people, by applying and providing

insecticide-treated nets and insecticide that can be used indoors [6]. The government is

also focusing on the case management, including the diagnosis and antimalarial medica-

tions [7].

In 2007, the Ministry of Health through the National Malaria Control Program,

changed its national malaria treatment policy from using a known antimalarial drug. In-

stead of using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) as the first-line treatment, they are now fo-

cusing on a more expensive, but also more effective artemisinin-based therapy. Currently,

a combination of two drugs are used, artemether and lumefantrine [5,8]. The change was

required, when the malaria parasite was found to be resistance to SP [5]. Other drugs that

are also used for the treatment of malaria include artesunate-amodiaquine and quinine [5].

17.3

GEOGRAPHICAL STRUCTURE AND DEMOGRAPHY OF THE COUN-

TRY

Located in south of the equator, Malawi is a landlocked Sub-Saharan country sur-

rounded by Tanzania in the north and northeast, Mozambique in the east, south, and south-

west, and Zambia in the west and northwest. The country is 901 km in length and 161 km in

width and occupies a total area of approximately 118,484 km². 94,276 km² of the total area

is land, with the remaining area covered by water, mostly composed of Lake Malawi, the

3^rd largest freshwater lake in Africa and the 9^th largest world-wide. The lake is about 475

km long, delineating Malawi’s eastern boundary with Mozambique. Lakes Chiuta, Chilwa

and Malombe are the other smaller lakes found in the country.