Trend in malaria prevalence among children under five years of age in the Hadiya Zone, southern Ethiopia: a five-year retrospective study

Background. About 75% of the land and 60% of the population is exposed to malaria in Ethiopia. Malaria persists as a major health problem in the Misrak Badawwacho districts of the Hadiya Zone. In children under five years of age, malaria admissions and deaths fell by 81% and 73% respectively between 2001 and 2011. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and trend in malaria parasite infection among pediatric patients treated in the Konga Health Center, Hadiya Zone, Misrak Badawwacho District, southern Ethiopia. Material and methods. A retrospective analysis of pediatric patients' records was conducted between September 2011 and June 2015. The data was analyzed to determine malaria morbidity and trend in malaria prevalence among children under five years of age. Data analysis was performed using SP55 software version 20. Results. A total of 5,210 medical records were retrieved and reviewed; the analysis showed that 2,459 patients (47.2%) were positive for malaria infection, of which 57% were due to Plasmodium falciparum and 43% due to P. vivax. The analysis demonstrated that the cumulative prevalence of malaria has been decreasing, with the exception of 2012, when it was found to increase rapidly. Conclusions. The prevalence of malaria in southern Ethiopia was found to be high and firmly associated with the closeness of potential mosquito breeding sites. The high incidence of the disease in this age group shows that malaria is endemic in the area. Both governmental and non-governmental organizations engaged in malaria campaigns should cooperate to raise awareness in the community and scale up the delivery of resources used for malaria control.