Factors influencing implementation of Malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi division,Homabay County

Abstract

Malaria is one of the most serious parasitic diseases causing up to 90% of deaths annually in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is recognized that much of the morbidity and mortality associated with malaria could be reduced provided that existing strategies like ITNs, IVMs, vaccination, and ACT treatment among others are fully implemented. This study aimed at investigating factors influencing implementation of malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi Division, Homabay County. It was guided by objectives such as to examine the influence of financial resources on implementing malaria intervention strategies; to establish the influence of community awareness on implementation of malaria intervention strategies; to determine the influence of societal beliefs and practices in implementing malaria intervention strategies; to establish the influence of geographic accessibility in implementing malaria intervention strategies and to investigate the influence of population mobility in implementing malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi Division, Homabay County. This study was based on various hypotheses drawn from the objectives, including: availability of financial resources has no influence on implementation of malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi Drvision; community awareness does not influence implementation of malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi Division; societal beliefs and practices do not influence implementation of malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi Division; geographical accessibility has no influence on implementation of malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi Division; there is no significant relationship between population mobility and the implementation of malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi Division. This study would be of assistance to the government, which, through the MOH and other line ministries, the NMCP should be able to understand, utilize and advise healthcare stakeholders and communities on the safest and most appropriate strategies to control malaria; it should as well assist healthcare facilities and health campaign institutions to adopt best appropriate strategies to control malaria and as well contribute to the body of knowledge and learning especially in the field of healthcare. This study is based on Ross' quantitative theory of malaria and mosquito-borne disease transmission and the quantitative foundation of epidemiology that describe adult mosquito movement and the spatial scale of larval control required to reduce mosquito populations and eliminate malaria from an area. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design, with a target population of 1430 households drawn from four locations in Gwassi Division using simple random sampling. A sample size of 375 respondents was obtained for the study using Krajcie & Morgan table and questionnaire method was used to gather research data that was analyzed using chi square test of hypothesis, descriptive statistics using frequencies, percentages and was presented in tables, percentages computation and in prose. The findings revealed that financial resource availability, community awareness, societal beliefs and practices and geographic accessibility were major factors that influenced the implementation of malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi Division, while population mobility factors were not considered to influence implementation of malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi Division. The study recommended that road networks and means of transport be improved, awareness campaigns launched and economic activities improved to enable households implement malaria intervention strategies in Gwassi Division.