Stat Colloquium (Virtual): Dr. Delenasaw Yewhalaw

Title: Epidemiology of Malaria and Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases Landscape in Ethiopia: emerging trends and control responses

Abstract: Most of the mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, lymphatic filariasis, Chikungunya, Yellow fever, dengue and rift valley fever are endemic to Ethiopia but historically malaria is the most important mosquito-borne infectious diseases in terms of its burden and mortality. It remained a major public health problem for several centuries. Ethiopia made great effort during the Global Eradication Campaign against malaria using indoor residual spraying of houses with insecticides driven by the World Health Organization in the 1950s and 1960s.

The historical account of malaria showed that the country has been progressing in the fight against malaria after establishment the National Malaria Control Program by the Ethiopian government following the failure of Global Malaria Eradication Program (GMEP) in Africa. Consequently, the country achieved significant reduction in malaria incidence and deaths over several decades due to the implementation and expansion of key malaria control interventions and hence the country sets a goal to eliminate malaria by 2030. However, there has been resurgence of malaria in many areas of the country since 2020 which could be attributed to COVID-19 pandemic, insecticide resistance, anti-malarial drug resistance, diagnostic resistance, weakening of the health care system, internal conflicts, climate change and others. There was also an increase in the prevalence of some of the mosquito-borne infectious diseases and emerging mosquito-borne disease such as dengue in Ethiopia.

Thus, early and timely responses towards ending not only malaria but other known endemic and emerging mosquito-borne diseases through advancing surveillance, research, innovation,  partnership and engagement improves the quality of life and free resources which are currently used to combat these diseases in Ethiopia.