Spatiotemporal review of malaria elimination programs in Sub-Saharan Africa: A case of Ghana.

Keywords: Malaria, Elimination, Sub-Saharan Africa, Spatiotemporal, Ghana
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

Efforts to eliminate malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa undoubtedly continuous with support from United States President’s malaria initiative strategy, Bill and Melinda Gates foundation and other benevolent organizations. Assumptions are that distractions to services during the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to increase in deaths across Sub-Saharan Africa and therefore neglect of communities’ endemic with the disease. Malaria disease in Ghana continue to be a public health concern despite efforts and programs by the local government and the international agencies to eliminate the disease. Ghana is a beneficiary of the United State President’s Malaria Initiative Strategy (phase I: 2005-2014; phase II- 2015-2020; phase III 2021 – 2026) and other sponsored agencies with core strategic focus on ending malaria faster in the sub region. The study conducted a spatiotemporal review of the elimination programs by both local and international agencies to eliminate the disease. The study used time series analyses to evaluate the elimination programs and conducted spatial assessment overtime of the disease prevalence focusing on Ghana. It was revealed that malaria prevalence is still a concern with increase in deaths during COVID-19 pandemic. Consequentially, the programs have culminated to decreases in malaria prevalence in most countries in the Sub-Saharan region of which Ghana is no exception. The study results suggest that producing data on malaria disease at the local level will be an effective strategy for monitoring, evaluating, and eliminating malaria risk across different geographic scales. Furthermore, the study highlights the efforts and initiatives to eliminate the disease in Sub-Saharan Africa.