Malaria control for rural areas in Uganda: localizing the interventions.

BACKGROUND

Malaria is a public health and socio-economic threat to development in most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, and particularly in rural areas. In Uganda, a number of malaria control interventions have been adopted, most of which are part of the international Roll Back Malaria (RBM) campaign. The spread of malaria is reducing but the prevalence is still high, especially in rural areas where mostly pregnant women and children bear the blunt of the negative effects of ineffective control. It is suggested that strengthening efforts towards localizing existing and new malaria control initiatives is one of the best available options to accelerating malaria control.

METHODS

Literature from within and outside Uganda is reviewed. Opinions of the author are used to reinforce the reviewed literature. In addition, existing literature is also substantiated using the author's experience and knowledge about malaria control. The article focuses on rural Uganda although the literature reviewed and subsequent conclusions and recommendations are also applicable to other countries.

MAIN DISCUSSIONS

Malaria is still the major cause of illness in the country. Available information shows that most of the regions in the country that are predominantly rural have a high prevalence rate. Malaria is, however, reducing due to a number of factors including the adoption of the global malaria control initiatives and use of community-based approaches. The approaches, however, have been limited and faced with constraints, which could be improved through reinforcing them with localized initiatives.

CONCLUSIONS

There are a number of reasons why malaria prevalence in Uganda is still high including limited socio-economic infrastructure, long distances to health units, and huge costs of treatment, among others. However, strengthening efforts towards localization offers one of the most convenient solutions.