Mathematical Model of Malaria Transmission with Anti-Malarial Herbal Therapy as Control

Abstract

Conventional anti–malarial drugs (chloroquine, Artesunate, Quinine, Amodiaquine etc) are used by most malaria-endemic countries as first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria. However, resistance by plasmodium parasite against these conventional anti–malarial drugs has necessitated the need for herbal medicine as alternative. So in this study, we formulate a mathematical model of malaria transmission in two interacting population of human (host) and mosquito (vector) incorporating anti-malarial herbal therapy as first line treatment for uncomplicated malaria infection. The region where the model is epidemiological feasible and mathematically well–posed is established and the basic reproduction number R_0 is derived using next generation matrix approach. The numerical experiment carried out to access the impact of the control measure on malaria transmission revealed a reduction in the number of complicated infectious human population. Hence this research work suggests a massive campaign on use of anti-malarial herbal therapy as first- line treatment for malaria infection cases.