Increasing Malaria cases and deaths in the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 2000 and 2011.
Current Interventions
- Intervention - Key Determinant it addresses
- Educating the public about Malaria - Many people are unaware of Malaria transmission and prevention.
- Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) - Anopheles mosquitoes only bite at night. Untreated bed nets are not very effective in keeping away mosquitoes at night.
- Effectively diagnosing and treating patients with Malaria - Health personnel are usually not trained well enough to treat patients' Malaria symptoms. They also have to deal with huge amounts of patients suffering from other equally dangerous diseases.
- Insecticides and Spray Materials - Malaria can only be contracted from a female Anopheles mosquito.
- Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) - When done feeding, mosquitoes usually rest on the nearest surface available to them.
My Interventions
Primary - Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs). Humans are only able to contract Malaria at night but night time is also when people are asleep and their guard is down. Bed nets are only useful to a certain degree since mosquitoes can still get past them. With insecticide treated nets, even when the mosquito has gotten past the net, it will die from the insecticide it's had to get through.
Secondary - Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS). Exophilic Anopheles mosquitoes rest indoors after biting to digest their meal. If the indoor surfaces are sprayed they will eventually die before biting anyone else and spreading the malaria.
Tertiary - Educating the Public about Malaria. Since many do not know how malaria is transmitted and how to prevent it, they do nothing to protect themselves from contracting it. If more people understand these things, they can be better prepared to protects themselves before getting malaria.
Best Intervention
Insecticide Treated Nets.
- Effectiveness - The CDC reported a 20% reduction in deaths of children from all causes (all causes - the mortality rate from a specified cause (Malaria) for a specific population (children under 5)). So ITNs are highly effective.
- Feasibility - As long as the government and the people understand the effectiveness of ITNs, they would not be against the use of them. Moderately feasible.
- Sustainability - Long lasting ITNs can last up to 3 years. Considering the large number of deaths it could prevent, I would consider it moderately sustainable.
- Cost - The ITNs would be a huge cost to the government since they would be given out to the people freely. However, the CDC stated that a recent study has found that an estimated $3.8 billion could be saved over 10 years if the lifespan of Long Lasting ITNs could go from 3 to 5 years. So I say the costs are moderate.
- Cost Effectiveness - There's a higher chance of not getting Malaria if a person uses and ITN rather than not. High cost effectiveness.
- Political Acceptability - ITNs would cost the government economically but thousands of lives could be saved from them. Moderate political acceptability.
- Social Will - If people understand that ITNs would help more than hurt them, there would be high social will.
- Potential for unintended risks - I can think of no unintended risks that come with ITNs so low potential for unintended risks.
- Potential for unintended benefits - It is likely that the bed nets would protect against other nocturnal bugs that could be carrying other severe diseases for there is a high potential for unintended benefits.
References
"Insecticide Treated Bed Nets." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 09 Nov. 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. <http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/malaria_worldwide/reduction/itn.html>.
Rhee, Michelle. "Use of Insecticide-treated Nets (ITNs) following a Malaria Education Intervention in Piron, Mali: A Control Trial with Systematic Allocation of Households." Malaria Journal 4.35 (2005): n. pag. Print.
I like how you organized this blog and your plans for intervention- it made it very easy to follow. I also think that all of the interventions you listed would be helpful in improving the problem you presented above. All around, I think this is a great blog post. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteGood job in identifying and listing current interventions.
ReplyDeleteIt is helpful to provide a brief description of the intervention to better communicate what it is you are talking about.
For example, how is the public being educated about malaria? What is being done out there? Are they focus groups in communities? radio shows? And what sources are you citing for the current interventions?
For ITNs, stating it as: sleeping under ITNs instead of simply stating 'ITNs' gives a clear picture of the intervention - for example.
Your suggested interventions are already listed as current interventions. What other possibilities can you think of in terms of interventions for your problem?
- Perhaps genetically modifying mosquitoes to make them unable to be a host for plasmodium
- Clearing swamps or water bodies in close proximity to residential areas (since these are breeding grounds)
- What about a malaria vaccine?
Get the idea? Think of possibilities outside of what you have already stated as happening.
Great job adding evidence to your description of your best intervention.
Remember to explain some points further. For example social will. Sleeping under ITNs can be really uncomfortable since it gets hot especially in places where AC is a luxury. That's where social will may work as a deterrent.
For political acceptability, perhaps you may find evidence regarding ITN donations from organizations to affected countries that helps alleviate the burden of the cost from the Government of these countries