Running Header: POPULATION HEALTH PROBLEM (MALARIA) IN MWATELA REGION IN TANZANIA 1
Population Health Problem (Malaria) in Mwatela Region in Tanzania
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POPULATION HEALTH PROBLEM (MALARIA) IN MWATELA REGION IN TANZANIA 2
Population Health Problem (Malaria) in Mwatela Region in Tanzania
Introduction:
Malaria has been a significant health challenge over years among occupants of Mwatela
region. Malaria has claimed the death of over 50% of total death that occur in the region
annually. Though it has been a significant problem in the area, so many health dispensaries both
private and public have emerged. Not only the health dispensaries have risen in the region but
also some businesses to deal with mosquito nets have also arisen. This paper identifies the
biological aspect of malaria. It describes how disease occurs. It also describes signs and
symptoms of illness and prevention methods. It gives the comparison of current statistics of the
diseases in local and international. The paper also describes the current surveillance methods and
mandates of reporting the condition. It also identifies an epidemiological aspect of malaria in
mwatela region. The paper also presents how the disease is diagnosed and screening technique of
malaria. By showing screening methods, the paper describes their sensitivity, specificity and
positive predictive value of the condition. The paper finally presents how the epidemiological
aspect of the disease can be addressed in future.
Literature review (Background):
Malaria is the infectious disease that is caused by mosquito bite. The disease involves a
parasitic protozoan called Plasmodium. Plasmodium is a single celled organism. The
transmission of the illness involves biting by a group of female Anopheles mosquito. The
symptoms usually manifest between ten to fifteen days after one is bitten.in case treatment is not
done recurrence of the disease starts manifesting in subsequent days. In a situation, one has
survived the infection and re-infection occur milder symptoms tend to manifest. The disease
POPULATION HEALTH PROBLEM (MALARIA) IN MWATELA REGION IN TANZANIA 3
involves the following signs and symptoms: fatigue, vomit, fever, and headaches.at times if
malaria is severe it causes seizures, yellow skin, coma and sometimes one may die (Ollho , 2010).
As mentioned, infected female Anopheles mosquito causes earlier disease. The female Anopheles
mosquito bites a health person and introduces Plasmodium parasite from its saliva into the health
person’s blood. The plasmodium in turn travels to the liver where it matures and reproduce. Once
the parasite mature the travels to the red blood cells and the signs of the disease manifest.
Malaria is spread in human by four known species of Plasmodium which involves P.faciparum,
P.vivax, P.ovale and finally P.malariae. Most deaths are characterized by P.falciparum since
other specie tend to cause a milder type of malaria (Ollho , 2010) . According to scientific study,
another specie of Plasmodium exist though it rarely causes disease in human, P.knowlesi.
Different methods of diagnosis exist .microscopic examination of blood smear, and Antigen rapid
