Reduction in malaria prevalence and increase in malaria awareness in endemic districts of Bangladesh

Abstract

BackgroundMalaria is endemic in 13 districts of Bangladesh. A baseline malaria prevalence survey across the endemic districts of Bangladesh was conducted in 2007, when the prevalence was reported around 39.7 per 1000 population. After two rounds of Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM)-funded intervention by the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) and a BRAC-led NGO consortium, a follow-up survey was conducted across the malaria-endemic districts of Bangladesh to measure the change in prevalence rate and in people’s knowledge of malaria.MethodsThe survey was carried out from August to November 2013 in 70 upazilas (sub-districts) of 13 malaria-endemic districts of Bangladesh, following the same multi-stage cluster sampling design and the same number of households enrolled during the baseline prevalence survey in 2007, to collect 9750 randomly selected blood samples. For on-the-spot diagnosis of malaria, a rapid diagnostic test was used. The household head or eldest person available was interviewed using a pre-coded structured questionnaire to collect data on the knowledge and awareness of malaria in the household.ResultsBased on a weighted calculation, the overall malaria prevalence was found to be 1.41 per 1000 population. The proportion of Plasmodium falciparum mono-infection was 77.78% while both Plasmodium vivax mono-infection and mixed infection of the two species were found to be 11.11%. Bandarban had the highest prevalence (6.67 per 1000 population). Knowledge of malaria signs, symptoms and mode of transmission were higher in the follow-up survey (97.26%) than the baseline survey. Use of bed nets for prevention of malaria was found to be high (90.15%) at respondent level. People’s knowledge of selected parameters increased significantly during the follow-up survey compared to the baseline survey conducted in 2007.ConclusionsA reduced prevalence rate of malaria and increased level of knowledge were observed in the present malaria prevalence survey in Bangladesh.

Mapping the stability of malaria hotspots in Bangladesh from 2013 to 2016

“…This has been shown previously [ 23 – 26 ]. Since the distribution of the 2007 Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria grant, artemisinin-based combinations are free nationwide and the NMEP has achieved 100% LLIN coverage in SeA [ 1 , 24 , 26 ]. Notwithstanding, unions with a high malaria incidence persist in Khagrachhari, Bandarban and Rangamati.…”

“…There is evidence to show that artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites have spread north- and westward from the Thai-Myanmar border [ 42 ]. There are concerns that migrants and refugees from these areas may import antimalarial resistant parasites [ 1 , 5 , 26 , 29 , 43 ]. In the case that antimalarial resistance spreads to Bangladesh, it may be more likely to propagate further into India, the country with the largest at-risk population and highest number of cases of malaria in the SEA Region [ 29 ].…”

The association between temperature, rainfall and humidity with common climate-sensitive infectious diseases in Bangladesh

“…Climate Change Cell , Bangladesh reported that, from 1984 to 1993 there were 301,651cases of malaria in Bangladesh, but from 1994 to 2003 it increased to 507,485 (68% increased incidence) [ 26 ]. Although after the introduction of artemisinin treatment and government and other partner organization lead massive drive for malaria elimination, the cases decreased to 1.4/1000 population in Bangladesh [ 27 ]. The same report revealed an increasing trend for diarrheal diseases, Kala-azar and skin diseases in three districts (drought-prone Rajshahi, flood-prone Manikganj and salinity-dense Satkhira) of Bangladesh between 1999 to 2005 [ 26 ].…”

Wide range of G6PD activities found among ethnic groups of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

“…P. falciparum remains the dominant malaria species in the country, however its proportion has dropped from 90% in 2007 to less than 80% in 2016, with a rising proportion of P. vivax cases [22][23][24][25]. As in many countries, PQ is provided for the radical cure of P. vivax, but patients are not tested for G6PDd to guide treatment and no systematic assessment of the prevalence of G6PDd within the country has been conducted.…”