Environmental management tackles malaria at source in Ethiopia

Environmental management tackles malaria at source in Ethiopia

Published Nov 2006

Authors

Mekonnen Yohannes, Steve W. Lindsay

Publisher

Focus countries

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Environmental management tackles malaria at source in Ethiopia

Building dams for irrigation creates new habitats for malaria-carrying mosquitoes to breed.  This can increase the number of cases of malaria and extend the season during which it is transmitted.  Can environmental management reduce malaria transmission in Tigray, Ethiopia? 

Anextensive scheme to build microdams operated in theTigray region of northern Ethiopia.  Mostof the dams constructed are close to villages, and they provide water forirrigation and drinking. Malaria in this highland region is mainly transmittedby the Anopheles arabiensis mosquito. It is afringe area for malaria transmission and people have little natural immunity. In1999 researchers found that malaria was seven times more prevalent amongchildren in villages close to the dams than those further away. 

Currentcontrol activities in Tigray involve a combination of drug treatment and indoorinsecticide spraying. Resistance of parasites to drug treatment, and ofmosquitoes to insecticides, is a growing problem. An integrated approach withextensive community involvement may provide an answer. Such an approach shouldbe based on reducing mosquito numbers through environmental management inplaces that can harbour mosquito larvae.

Researchersran a study to assess the effectiveness of environmental management around damsites in reducing the risk of malaria. The study focuses on two highlandvillages in the vicinity of the Meskebet microdam, 330 kilometres northwest of Mekelle.One village close to the dam was the site of interventions to prevent poolingof stagnant water, the other, further away, acted as a control.

Thestudy reports the following findings:

  • The incidence rate of malaria in children under 10 years was too smallto make any valid statistical comparisons.
  • There were significantly higher numbers of mosquitoes in the damvillage than in the control.
  • The peak time for mosquitoes to be active in homes was early evening,between 19:00 and 20:00 hours.
  • A general reduction was seen in the number of pools containing larvaein the intervention (dam) village, while no significant reduction occurred inthe control village.
  • Mosquito numbers fell in both villages, but were substantially greaterin the intervention village. An overall reduction of 83 percent was seen in numbersof mosquitoes in the interventionvillage, compared to 49 percent in the other.
  • Most villagers participated in the activities, contributing 5,000person-hours during the ten month period. This was less than anticipated due tothe outbreak of war nearby during the study period.

Thefindings suggest that environmental management involving communities mightprovide a cheap and effective way to control malaria in areas of low intensitytransmission.

Policyimplications include:

  • The effectiveness of bed-nets may be low because the peak time formosquitoes to bite is before most people, including children, go to bed.
  • Drainage and planting of reeds and papyrus in swampy areas caused byseepage from dams and irrigation canals were effective methods of reducinglarvae.
  • Environmental management is cost-effective and environment-friendly,and can be easily integrated into other interventions that involve communities.
  • Responsibility for mitigating health impacts of small dams does notonly rest with health departments, but should be taken seriously by Bureaus ofAgriculture and Water Resources and by non-governmental organisations. Involvingdevelopment actors who live and work at community level is crucial.

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