The Pandemonium of Malaria in the Rural Population of District Khairpur During the 2022 Monsoon Flood

Article Information

Title: The Pandemonium of Malaria in the Rural Population of District Khairpur During the 2022 Monsoon Flood

Authors: Ashfaq Ahmed Buriro, Ali Muhammad Memon, Noman Sadiq, Jamshed Warsi, Zaib- Un- Nisa Mughal, Autif Hussain Mangi, Rozina Mangi, Benazir Mahar

Journal: Pakistan Journal of Public Health (PJPH)

HEC Recognition History

Category	From	To
Y	2024-10-01	2025-12-31
Y	2023-07-01	2024-09-30
Y	2022-07-01	2023-06-30
Y	2021-07-01	2022-06-30
Y	2020-07-01	2021-06-30

Publisher: Health Services Academy (HSA), Islamabad

Country: Pakistan

Year: 2023

Volume: 13

Issue: 3

Language: English

DOI: 10.32413/pjph.v13i3.1149

Keywords: MalariaPlasmodium falciparumPlasmodium vivaxflood pandemic

Abstract

Background: The recent monsoon flood in Pakistan triggered a surge in various diseases, particularly affecting Sindh. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of malaria in the Khairpur district during the flood pandemic.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Khairpur district on the rural population during the flood pandemic of 2022, spanning from August to September. Due to the flood, numerous patients exhibited fever and malaria-related symptoms. Using convenient purposive sampling, all symptomatic patients underwent malaria testing through the ICT (immunochromatographic test) method.
Results: Throughout the study period, 2383 individuals presented with malaria-like symptoms. Among them, 1932 individuals tested positive for malaria, resulting in a prevalence of 81.1%. Among the malaria-positive cases, Plasmodium vivax was detected in 1431 (74%) cases, while Plasmodium falciparum was identified in 501 (26%) individuals. Notably, 85% of males, 67% of non-pregnant females, 36% of pregnant females, 65% of children up to 8 years old, and 95% of children aged 9-18 were afflicted with malaria.
Conclusion: The prevalence of malaria in flood-affected areas is alarmingly high. While the elevated prevalence of Plasmodium vivax poses a substantial health risk, the presence of Plasmodium falciparum may lead to severe complications.

Disclaimer: The following sections are produced through an intensive multi-stage analytical pipeline developed by DefinePK, utilizing advanced natural-language processing, domain-specific knowledge models, and automated cross-referencing systems. Despite the rigor and computational effort involved, the generated summary may still contain inaccuracies or incomplete interpretations. Users are strongly advised to verify all critical information against the original paper and its authoritative sources.

Research Objective

To assess the prevalence of malaria in the Khairpur district during the 2022 monsoon flood and to identify the predominant malaria species.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural population of Khairpur district from August to September 2022. Symptomatic patients presenting at flood relief medical camps were tested for malaria using the immunochromatographic test (ICT) method via convenient purposive sampling. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25.

Methodology Flowchart

                        graph TD
    A["Study Approval"] --> B["Data Collection: Symptomatic Patients from Flood Relief Camps"];
    B --> C["Malaria Testing via ICT"];
    C --> D["Data Entry into SPSS"];
    D --> E["Data Analysis"];
    E --> F["Reporting of Results"];

Discussion

The study highlights an alarmingly high prevalence of malaria in flood-affected areas, significantly exceeding previous provincial estimates. This increase is attributed to the floodwaters creating new mosquito breeding grounds and disrupting healthcare systems. The high prevalence of Plasmodium vivax and the significant presence of Plasmodium falciparum, which can lead to severe complications, pose substantial public health risks.

Key Findings

Out of 2383 individuals presenting with malaria-like symptoms, 1932 tested positive for malaria, resulting in a prevalence of 81.1%. Plasmodium vivax was detected in 74% of positive cases, and Plasmodium falciparum in 26%. Malaria prevalence varied by demographic group: 85% of males, 67% of non-pregnant females, 36% of pregnant females, 65% of children up to 8 years old, and 95% of children aged 9-18.

Conclusion

The prevalence of malaria in flood-affected regions is alarmingly high. The elevated prevalence of Plasmodium vivax is a significant health risk, and the presence of Plasmodium falciparum may lead to severe complications, necessitating urgent action from authorities.

Fact Check

1. Prevalence of Malaria: The study reported a malaria prevalence of 81.1% in the Khairpur district during the 2022 monsoon flood.
2. Species Distribution: Plasmodium vivax accounted for 74% of malaria cases, while Plasmodium falciparum accounted for 26%.
3. Study Period: The study was conducted during the 2022 monsoon flood, specifically from August to September.

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