Browsing by Author "Mboera, L. E. G."

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Challenges and opportunities for implementing an intersectoral approach in malaria control in Tanzania
(Tanzania Journal of Health Research, 2015) Mlozi, M. R. S.; Mlacha, T.; Bwana, V. M.; Shayo, E. H.; Mayala, B. K.; Malima, R. C.; Mashoto, K. O.; Mboera, L. E. G.
Background: Malaria is a complex health problem related to socio-economic and environmental factors that cut across a number of sectors. Establishing intersectoral linkages is important to facilitate joint efforts to address the problem at all levels. The objectives of this study were to explore key sectoral engagements in malaria control policy formulation and implementation, and to determine decision and policy makers’ opinions about different sectoral activities that contribute to malaria transmission and control in Tanzania. Methods: This study included documentary review, self-administered interviews and group discussion. Interviews and group discussions involved key informants at district and national levels. The sectors involved were health, agriculture, environment, livestock, fisheries, education, works, irrigation, water resources, land development, forestry, and community development. Results: Institutions and organizations that were involved in the development of the previous and current National Malaria Strategic Plan (2007-2013 and 2013-2020) were the Ministries of Health and Social Welfare, Prime Minister’s Office of Regional Administration and Local Government, Public universities and non-governmental organizations. All the individuals involved in the development of the plans were either medical or health professionals. According to key informants, sectoral activities identified to contribute to malaria transmission included farming systems, deforestation, fishing, nomadic pastoralism, household water storage, water resource development projects, road and house construction and mining. The lack of intersectoral approaches in malaria control programme included the facts that the Health Sector does not involve other sectors during planning and development of policy guidelines, differences in sectoral mandates and management culture, lack of a national coordinating framework and lack of budget for intersectoral activities. Conclusion: The current strategies for malaria control in Tanzania need to address socio-economic and development activities across sectors and emphasise the need for intersectoral collaboration. It is recommended that the future of malaria control strategies should, therefore, be broad based and intersectoral in planning and implementation.
Distribution and diversity of mosquitoes and the role of Aedes in the transmission of arboviruses in selected districts of Tanzania
(2017-12-25) Patrick, N. P.; Kinimi, E.; Shayo, M/ J.; Ang eenyi, S. O.; Weyer, P.; van Vuren, P. J.; Paweska, J. T.; Mboera, L. E. G.; Rweyemamu, M. M.; Misinzo, G.; Kasanga, C. J.
Arboviruses belong to various families of viruses that are transmitted by arthropods, mainly mosquitoes and often cause diseases in humans. The objective of this study was to determine mosquito diversity and transmission of arboviruses by Aedes in selected ecosystems in Tanzania. Adult mosquitoes were collected from rural and urban settings using carbon dioxide-baited CDC light traps, Biogent sentinel traps, and the Mosquito Magnet traps. Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction assay was performed on pooled adult Aedes mosquitoes to detect the presence of Chikungunya, Dengue, Rift Valley fever (RVF) and Yellow fever (YF) viruses. A total of 42, 77 mosquitoes belonging to five genera (Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, Mansonia and Mimomyia) and 18 species were collected. Culex accounted for the largest (62.7%; n= 2,682) proportion of the mosquitoes while Anopheles for the lowest proportion (5.7%; n=245). Of the total mosquitoes collected, Culex quinquefasciatus accounted for more than a half (53.4%; n=2692), followed by Aedes aegypti 12.1% (n=520). Of the 34 adult Ae. aegypti pools tested, arboviruses were detected in 33(97%) pools. Dengue virus was detected in 47.6% (10/ 21) pools which tested positive for Flaviruses. Chikungunya virus was detected in 30% (3/ 10) pools which were positive for Alphavirus genera. Of 2 pools tested positive for Bunyavirus genus, Rift Valley fever virus was detected in 1 pool (50%). The presence of various mosquito vectors and detection of arboviruses in aedes mosquitoes leave the population of Tanzania at great risk of transmission of different pathogens and highlight a need for vector control measures in the country.
Participatory involvement of farming communities and public sectors in determining malaria control strategies in Mvomero district, Tanzania
(Tanzania Health Research Bulletin, 2006) Mlozi, M. R. S.; Shayo, E. H.; Senkoro, K. P.; Mayala, B. K.; Rumisha, S. F.; Mutayoba, B.; Senkondo, E.; Maerere, A.; Mboera, L. E. G.
Addressing the malaria-agriculture linkages requires a broad inter-disciplinary and integrated approach that involves farming communities and key public sectors. In this paper, we report results of participatory involvement of farming communities in determining malaria control strategies in Mvomero District, Tanzania. A seminar involving local government leaders, health and agricultural officials comprising of a total of 27 participants was held. Public meetings in villages of Komtonga, Mbogo, Mkindo, Dihombo and Luhindo followed this. Findings from a research on the impact of agricultural practices on malaria burden in the district were shared with local communities, public sector officials and other key stakeholders as a basis for a participatory discussion. The community and key stakeholders had an opportunity to critically examine the linkages between agricultural practices and malaria in their villages and to identify problems and propose practical solutions. Several factors were identified as bottlenecks in the implementation of malaria control in the area. Lack of community participation and decision making in malaria interventions was expressed as among the major constraints. This denied the community the opportunities of determining their health priorities and accessing knowledge needed to effectively implement malaria interventions. In conclusion, this paper emphasizes the importance of participatory approach that involves community and other key stakeholders in malaria control using an ecosystem approach. An interdisciplinary and integrated approach is needed to involve farmers and more than one sector in malaria control effort.
Spatio-temporal variation in malaria transmission intensity in five agro-ecosystems in Mvomero district, Tanzania
(Geospatial Health, 2010) Mboera, L. E. G.; Senkoro, K. P.; Mayala, B. K.; Rumisha, S. F.; Rwegoshora, R. T.; Mlozi, M. R. S.; Shayo, E. S.
In Africa, malaria is predominantly a rural disease where agriculture forms the backbone of the economy. V arious agro-ecosystems and crop production systems have an impact on mosquito productivity, and hence malaria transmission intensity. This study was carried out to determine spatial and temporal variations in anopheline mosquito population and malaria transmission intensity in five villages, representing different agro-ecosystems in Mvomero dis- trict, Tanzania, so as to provide baseline information for malaria interventions. The agro-ecosystems consisted of irri- gated sugarcane, flooding rice irrigation, non-flooding rice irrigation, wet savannah and dry savannah. In each setting, adult mosquitoes were sampled monthly using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps from August 2004 to July 2005. A total of 35,702 female mosquitoes were collected. Anopheles gambiae sensu lato was the most abundant (58.9%) mosquito species. An. funestus accounted for 12.0% of the mosquitoes collected. There was a substantial village to village variation and seasonality in the density of Anopheles mosquito population, with peaks in May towards the end of the warm and rainy season. Significantly larger numbers of anophelines were collected from tra- ditional flooding rice irrigation ecosystem (70.7%) than in non-flooding rice irrigation (8.6%), sugarcane (7.0%), wet savannah (7.3%) and dry savannah (6.4%). The overall sporozoite rates for An. gambiae and An. funestus were 3.4% and 2.3%, respectively. The combined overall sporozoite rate ( An. gambiae + An. funestus ) was 3.2%. The mean annual entomological inoculation rate (EIR) for An. gambiae s.l. was 728 infective bites per person per year and this was sig- nificantly higher in traditional flooding rice irrigation (1351) than in other agro-ecosystems. The highest EIRs for An. gambiae s.l. and An. funestus were observed during May 2005 (long rainy season) and December 2004 (short rainy sea- son), respectively. The findings support the evidence that malaria transmission risk varies even between neighbouring vil- lages and is influenced by agro-ecosystems. This study therefore, demonstrates the need to generate spatial and tempo- ral data on transmission intensity on smaller scales taking into consideration agro-ecosystems that will identify area-spe- cific transmission intensity to guide targeted control of malaria operations.