The burden of malaria, in especially rural communities, remains high despite effective diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Low coverage and quality of the interventions reduce the outcome and impact of the existing interventions. With the World Health Organisation (WHO) aiming for universal access to malaria diagnosis, treatment and prevention, factors affecting coverage, quality and use the malaria interventions, in especially rural communities which bear the highest burden of the disease, need to be identified and addressed. In addition, areas with high malaria burden and transmission should be identified at a fine geographical scale to inform decision-making. The work in this thesis explores factors affecting access and quality of malaria diagnosis, treatment and prevention in a rural area in Malawi. Novel approaches for monitoring malaria burden and adequacy of treatment are also explored.

"Malaria remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, with sub-Saharan Africa disproportionately bearing the highest burden. Vector control interventions have been at the forefront, significantly reducing malaria transmission. However, in recent years, global progress against malaria has stalled. Effective control and elimination of malaria in endemic regions necessitates concerted efforts from all stakeholders, including governments, scientists, NGOs, and communities. To facilitate implementation, the WHO developed the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria (GTS) 2016-2030. The GTS emphasises the significance of country ownership and leadership, with active community participation as a crucial factor for accelerating progress through a comprehensive, multisectoral approach. The GTS also emphasises the importance of improved surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation, alongside stratification based on malaria disease burden, to optimise the implementation of malaria interventions. This thesis employed a multidisciplinary research approach to achieve two main objectives in southern Malawi. First, it assessed the impact of community participation in implementing community-based malaria control strategies. Second, it investigated the burden and surveillance of malaria. This thesis demonstrated that utilising trained volunteers and involving local community stakeholders significantly enhanced the implementation of the community-led malaria prevention strategy, improving both fidelity and feasibility. This community-led approach further led to increased community awareness of house improvement (HI) and malaria, as well as enhanced acceptability of the strategy. The electronic data capture system was well-accepted by users and resulted in improvements in data completeness and consistency. Furthermore, the study found that community-based malaria control strategies effectively complemented the existing indoor strategy, as evidenced by the low incidences of malaria, ARIs, and diarrhoea."--

For more than 50 years, low-cost antimalarial drugs silently saved millions of lives and cured billions of debilitating infections. Today, however, these drugs no longer work against the deadliest form of malaria that exists throughout the world. Malaria deaths in sub-Saharan Africaâ€"currently just over one million per yearâ€"are rising because of increased resistance to the old, inexpensive drugs. Although effective new drugs called "artemisinins" are available, they are unaffordable for the majority of the affected population, even at a cost of one dollar per course. Saving Lives, Buying Time: Economics of Malaria Drugs in an Age of Resistance examines the history of malaria treatments, provides an overview of the current drug crisis, and offers recommendations on maximizing access to and effectiveness of antimalarial drugs. The book finds that most people in endemic countries will not have access to currently effective combination treatments, which should include an artemisinin, without financing from the global community. Without funding for effective treatment, malaria mortality could double over the next 10 to 20 years and transmission will intensify.

The World Malaria Report 2016 summarizes information received from malaria-endemic countries and other sources and updates the analyses presented in the 2015 report. The World Malaria Report is WHO's flagship malaria publication released each year in December. It assesses global and regional malaria trends, highlights progress towards global targets, and describes opportunities and challenges in controling and eliminating the disease. Most of the data presented in this report is for 2015.

Malaria is making a dramatic comeback in the world. The disease is the foremost health challenge in Africa south of the Sahara, and people traveling to malarious areas are at increased risk of malaria-related sickness and death. This book examines the prospects for bringing malaria under control, with specific recommendations for U.S. policy, directions for research and program funding, and appropriate roles for federal and international agencies and the medical and public health communities. The volume reports on the current status of malaria research, prevention, and control efforts worldwide. The authors present study results and commentary on the: Nature, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and epidemiology of malaria. Biology of the malaria parasite and its vector. Prospects for developing malaria vaccines and improved treatments. Economic, social, and behavioral factors in malaria control.

THE ESSENTIAL WORK IN TRAVEL MEDICINE -- NOW COMPLETELY UPDATED FOR 2018 As unprecedented numbers of travelers cross international borders each day, the need for up-to-date, practical information about the health challenges posed by travel has never been greater. For both international travelers and the health professionals who care for them, the CDC Yellow Book 2018: Health Information for International Travel is the definitive guide to staying safe and healthy anywhere in the world. The fully revised and updated 2018 edition codifies the U.S. government's most current health guidelines and information for international travelers, including pretravel vaccine recommendations, destination-specific health advice, and easy-to-reference maps, tables, and charts. The 2018 Yellow Book also addresses the needs of specific types of travelers, with dedicated sections on: · Precautions for pregnant travelers, immunocompromised travelers, and travelers with disabilities · Special considerations for newly arrived adoptees, immigrants, and refugees · Practical tips for last-minute or resource-limited travelers · Advice for air crews, humanitarian workers, missionaries, and others who provide care and support overseas Authored by a team of the world's most esteemed travel medicine experts, the Yellow Book is an essential resource for travelers -- and the clinicians overseeing their care -- at home and abroad.