Sensitivity of Falciparum Malaria to Chloroquine & the Economical Impact of the Disease in Kenana Sugar Project

Abstract

The study, which composed of two parts, was conducted in the period 2004/2006 in Kenana Sugar Company Project. The first part intended to determine the sensitivity of plasmodiumfalciparum to chloroquine in the daily routine treatment of simple malaria in Kenana health centers. For this purpose the first 50 simple malaria outpatients with a confirmed positive blood film (BFFM) and a definiteparasite count, infour different located health centers (HC A2, HC A3, HC A6 and Factory HC), were followed up for four weeks while under treatment with chloroquine. The treatment failure rate was found tobe 20% - 22%, which indicates a sensitivity or response of 78 – 80% to CQ. The malaria prevalence in the area companing with other disease was determined and it was found to be37%, 28% and 15% throw the years 2004/2005 and 2006 respectively. The mortality due to malaria showed a decline rate from 0.97% to 0.14% till 0.0% throw the year 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively. It is an indication of an effort of combating malaria and case management. It was found that the positive blood film slides showed low percentages; 8% in the Clinic, 13% in the hospital and 23% in the factory health center. The second part was set to determine the economical impact of malaria as a socio-economical burden on Kenana Sugar Company. To achieve this, three groups each of 50 patients were considered. Group I: Malaria in-patient (employees) Group II: Malaria in-patient (employees sponsors) Group III: Malaria out-patient (employees plus their sponsors) - IX - The cost of illness as a pharmaco-ecnomic method was applied to determine the direct and the indirect costs for each group. The total cost of malaria was compared to health annual budget and the environmental health component. In this study the cost of malaria in2004/2005 was found to be 100 million SD. That was equal to 21,75%of the health services budget, (HSB) and 1,4%of the total payroll. The malaria combat swallowed 18.7%of the environmental health budget