Situational Analysis of Malaria Incidence under Integrated Malaria Service in Hotspot Township of Myanmar

Malaria is one of the important public health problems as well as tropical diseases. Myanmar has a high burden of malaria among Greater Mekong sub-region, compared with other countries. Therefore, since 2017, malaria reduction intensification plan was implemented in high burden areas of disease transmission. Minbya Township is the township with high burden of malaria which is defined by WHO Myanmar and National malaria control program. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological situation of malaria in Minbya Township under the intensification plan for malaria elimination from 2015 to 2020, and analyze the impact of well-implemented intensification plan for malaria cases reduction in hotspot areas, from 2017-2020 (especially in covid-19 situation). 

Data was collected from Malaria Surveillance System of the National malaria control program and WHO Myanmar malaria monitoring dashboard of Minbya Township, Maruk-U district of Rakhine state. Surveillance study design was used in this research. Third quartile and C-sum methods calculation was used for malaria outbreak analysis. This research showed that the morbidity trend of malaria diseases by calculation of Annual blood examination rate (ABER) and API index through population, malaria tested years by years. Using the QGIS, this study consideration for geographical distribution of malaria risk mapping of Minbya Township from 2017 to 2020. 

In conclusion, the implementation of integrated malaria prevention and control service in Minbya Township since 2017, therefore, malaria cases morbidity is reduced, no malaria case mortality, and malaria testing capacity increased due to VHV. 87 % of malaria P&C service is mainly provided by township malaria elimination and disease control program and the rest are provided by stakeholders. The annual parasite index is reducing from 13 in 2015 to 2.5 in 2020, and most occurrence of malaria species is Plasmodium vivax (55%).  

This study recommends that early diagnosis and promoting ACT, then strategic planning such as extension of active cases detection in rural health centers, community-based integrated health care approach are effective and efficient for malaria elimination approach. These best practices of community-based malaria prevention and control are recommended to use in other high malaria burden townships.