[01] Achalu Banti, Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Wollega University, Nekemte, Ethiopia. [02] Oljira Kenea, Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Wollega University, Nekemte, Ethiopia.

A five year (2015-2019) retrospective study with an aim to assess the trend of malaria prevalence and coverage of core frontline control interventions was undertaken in Abe Dongoro district, Western Ethiopia. The kebeles (lowest administrative units) of the district were primarily stratified as malarious and non-malarious. From the malarious group, three kebeles (Amba 15, Amba 24 and Amba 20) were randomly selected for the study. Secondary data of malaria prevalence were collected by reviewing the five years reports of the health centers in the selected Kebeles. Data of the core malaria prevention tools particularly Indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) coverage of each kebele were obtained from the reports of the district’s health office. The data were analyzed using SPSS version20 statistical software. Chi-square for qualitative and ANOVA for quantitative data were used to determine the association between malaria cases and risk factors at 95% confidence level and significance was taken with p-value <0.05. Results revealed that a total of 1762 patients were laboratory tested for malaria, of which 953(54.1%) were confirmed for the presence of Plasmodium parasites by malaria diagnostic tools. The highest number of malaria cases (1010) was recorded in 2015 and the lowest number (29) in 2019. Of the 953 microscopically confirmed malaria cases, P. falciparum was observed in 584 (61.28%) followed by P. vivax 369 (38.72%). Significantly highest proportion of cases were recorded in Amba 20 (46.3%) followed by Amba 24 (36.3%). The coverage of IRS and LLINs were significantly increasing with year advance at rate of 34.42% and 58.35% respectively. In conclusion, the prevalence of malaria in Abe Dongoro district showed a consistent declining trend from the year of 2015-2019 coupled with increasing coverage rate of IRS and LLINs over the five years. This implies the potential towards malaria elimination with universal coverage of IRS and LLINs in the study setting. Therefore sustainable operational distribution and coverage of IRS and LLINs are required to eliminate malaria in Abe Dongoro district.

Abe Dongoro, Five Year Malaria Trend, Coverage of IRS and LLINs, Malaria

[01] Abose T, Ye-Ebiyo Y, Olana D, Alamirew D, Beyene Y, Regassa L, Mengesha A. (1998) Re-Orientation and definition of the role of malaria vector control in Ethiopia. WHO/MAL. 1085. [02] Abeku TA, Oortmarssen GJ, Borsboom G, de Vlas SJ, Habbema JDF. (2003) Spatial and temporal variations of malaria epidemic risk in Ethiopia: factors involved and implications. Acta Tropica, 87: 331-340. [03] Deribew A, Dejene T, Kebede B, Tessema GA, Melaku YA, Misganaw A, et al. (2017) Incidence, prevalence and mortality rates of malaria in Ethiopia from 1990 to 2015: analysis of the global burden of diseases. Malar J. 16: 271. [04] Krafsur, E. (1977). The bionomics and relative prevalence of Anopheles species with respect to the transmission of Plasmodium to man in western Ethiopia. J Med Entomol. 25: 180–194. [05] Kenea O, Balkew M, Tekie H, Gebre‑Michael T, Deressa W, Loha E, et al. (2016) Human-biting activities of Anopheles species in south-central Ethiopia. Paras Vect. 9: 527. [06] Kenea O, Balkew M, Gebre-Michael T. (2011). Environmental factors associated with larval habitats of anopheline mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in irrigated and major drainage areas in the middle course of the Rift Valley, central Ethiopia. J Vec B Dis. 48: 85-92. [07] FMOH (2012) National Malaria Guideline 3^rd ed. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Federal Ministry of Health. [08] Kenea O, Balkew M, Tekie H, Deressa W, Loha E, Lindtjørn B, Overgaard HJ. (2019). Impact of combining indoor residual spraying and long‑lasting insecticidal nets on Anopheles arabiensis in Ethiopia: results from a cluster randomized controlled trial. Malaria J. 18: 182. [09] Otten M, Aregawi M, Were W, Karema C, Medin A, Bekele W, et al. (2009) Initial evidence of reduction of malaria cases and deaths in Rwanda and Ethiopia due to rapid scale-up of malaria prevention and treatment. Malar J. 8: 14. [10] Alemu A, Muluye D, Mihret M, Adugna M, Gebeyaw M. (2012) Ten year trend analysis of malaria prevalence in Kola Diba, North Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia. Paras & Vect, 5: 173. [11] Gari T, Kenea O, Loha E, Deressa W, Hailu A, Balkew M, Gebre‑Michael T, Robberstad B, Overgaard, HJ, Lindtjørn B. (2016) Malaria incidence and entomological findings in an area targeted for a cluster randomized controlled trial to prevent malaria in Ethiopia: results from a pilot study. Malar J., 15: 145. [12] Taffese HS, Schroeder EH, Koepfli C, Tesfaye G, Lee MC, Kazura J, Yan GY, Zhou GF.(2018) Malaria epidemiology and interventions in Ethiopia from 2001 to 2016. Infectious Diseases of Poverty, 7: 103. [13] Bugssa G, Tedla K. (2020) Feasibility of malaria elimination in Ethiopia. Ethiop. J. Health Sciences, 30: 607-613. [14] WHO (2015) Global malaria program. Achieving the malaria MDG target: reversing the incidence of malaria 2000–2015: WHO Press, World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund. [15] Girum T, Shumbej T, Shewangizaw M. (2019) Burden of malaria in Ethiopia, 2000-2016: findings from the Global Health Estimates 2016. Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines; 5: 1-7. [16] WHO (2018) World Malaria Report. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018. Switzerland: WHO Press, http://www.who.int/malaria/ [17] Jemal A, Ketema T. (2019) A declining pattern of malaria prevalence in Asendabo Health Center Jimma zone, southwest Ethiopia. BMC Res Notes; 12 (290): 1-5. [18] Tesfay K, Yohannes M, Bayisa S. (2018) Trend analysis of malaria prevalence in Raya Azebo district, Northern Ethiopia: a retrospective study. BMC Res Notes; 11: 900. [19] Feleke DG, Gebretsadik D, Gebreweld A. (2018) Analysis of the trend of malaria prevalence in Ataye, North Shoa, Ethiopia between 2013 and 2017. Malaria Journal; 17: 323. [20] WHO (2017) World malaria report. Geneva: WHO press, World Health Organization; 2017. [21] Meresa S, Megbaru A, Kiros T, Desalegn T, Sena B, Gessessew B. (2018). The prevalence of malaria in Tselemti Wereda, North Ethiopia: A Retrospective study. Ethiop J Health Sci. 28: 539-546. [22] Deressa W, Chibsa S, Olana D. (2004). The distribution and magnitude of malaria in Oromia, Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Dev; 18: 164-70. [23] Getachew F, Abiyu W, Alemtegna G, Ali A, Haile T, Abdu Y, Tessema B, Wondimeneh Y, Alemu A. (2013) Prevalence of malaria from blood smears examination: A seven- year retrospective study from Metema Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. Malar Res Treat. 2013: 704730. [24] Karunamoorthi K, Bekele M. (2009) Prevalence of malaria from peripheral blood smears examination: a 1-year retrospective study from the Serbo health center, Kersa District, Ethiopia. J Infect Public Health. 2009; 2: 171–176. [25] Legesse D, Haji Y, Abreha A. (2015). Trend analysis of malaria occurrence in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia: retrospective cross-sectional study. Malar Res Treat.123682:8. [26] Hailemariam M, Gebre S. (2015). Trend analysis of malaria prevalence in Arsi Negelle health center, southern Ethiopia. J Infect Dis Immun.7: 1-6. [27] Aregawi M, Lynch M, Bekele KH, Jima D., et al. (2014)Time serie analysis of trends in malaria cases and deaths at hospitals and the effect of antimalarial interventions, 2001–2011, Ethiopia. PLoSONE 9: e106359. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0106359