Pediatric malaria incidence and risk mapping in Sussundenga Municipality, Mozambique

Abstract

Background: Malaria is a parasitic borne disease that affects red blood cells. The disease is preventable, detectable and treatable and more common in poor resource settings. Malaria is undoubtedly one of the main public health concerns impacting families and the economy in Mozambique. Age category plays a significant important role in malaria occurrence and can affect the course and progression of the disease and correct treatment. Very few studies on pediatric malaria exists in Mozambique and the existing ones use a simplistic and coarse grouping. The knowledge of malaria pediatric incidence and, the need to evaluate the local heterogeneity by generating malaria risk maps can improve the understanding of pediatric malaria being the objective of this study.  Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using existing malaria positive data from 2018 to 2019 at Rural Sussundenga Hospital (RSH) in Sussundenga municipality. Attributable factors of the disease and incidence were calculated. Proportion of gender, age category and location were tested using G test. For malaria risk mapping, ten malaria factors (anthropic, sociodemographic, climatic and clinic) were used to produce two maps: one using malaria incidence and other without. Bioclimatic, Diva GIS 7.4.0 and, Landsat 8 image were used to produce the map.  Results: The findings revealed that of the 42,248 patients who visited the local hospital f, 51.2% tested positive for malaria with an incidence of 45.7 per 100 persons. There is a difference between residential areas in malaria incidence, with both maps showing malaria risk in Nhamazara, Nhamarenza and Unidade communities.   Conclusions: This implies that malaria high risk areas seem to be located in high populated areas and areas close to water bodies. Relevant information is provided for effective planning in malaria intervention.