Malaria Health Promotion Plan Research Paper

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Though Malaria has been eradicated in some parts of the world, especially developed countries, it remains a significant public health concern across the globe. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) (2017), there were 212 million malaria cases and 429,000 malaria deaths globally in 2015 alone. Though the incidence of malaria morbidity and mortality has reduced over the years, these statistics are undoubtedly troubling. Developing countries bear the greatest burden of malaria (Shretta, Avancena & Hatefi, 2016). More specifically, Africa has a disproportionately high prevalence of malaria, with estimates indicating that approximately 90% of all malaria cases and 92% of all malaria mortalities across the globe occur in the continent (WHO, 2017). Over 70% of malaria cases in Africa occur in only 13 countries, mostly in the sub-Saharan region, with infants, children below 5 years, expectant women, and HIV/AIDS patients being at a greater risk compared to the rest of the population (WHO, 2017).

Kenya is one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa where the problem of malaria is prevalent. The country is currently grappling with a malaria crisis that has claimed more than 50 lives in less than a month (Obi, 2017). One of the most affected areas in the country is Marsabit County, an administrative region located in the northern part of the country. This paper provides a health promotion plan for this poverty-stricken community. Based on the MAP-IT framework, the plan specifically describes an intervention for addressing the ongoing malaria crisis, purposely highlighting the stakeholders involved, the objective of the intervention, strategies for addressing the problem, as well as implementation and evaluation issues.

Community Characteristics and the Malaria Crisis

With an area covering approximately 66,000 square kilometres, Marsabit County is the largest county in Kenya. Geographically, the county is situated in northern Kenya, and borders Lake Turkana to the west. Marsabit is one of the poorest counties in Kenya, meaning that access to healthcare remains a perennial problem. The county is characterised by an arid climate, deplorable housing, a disproportionately high level of illiteracy, little economic activity, poor transport infrastructure, as well as an acute shortage of healthcare facilities and personnel.

Marsabit County has been one of the most affected counties in the wake of the ongoing malaria outbreak in Kenya.

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Reports indicate that the outbreak has led to 26 deaths and more than 1,300 cases of malaria in the county (Obi, 2017). The outbreak has coincided with the short rains. Most of the affected areas have received heavy downpours, including Marsabit, offering an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. The problem has further been compounded by an ongoing healthcare workers’ strike that has lasted several months. In Kenya, healthcare workers’ strikes affect the poor far more than the rest of the population. Similar to most developing countries, the poor in Kenya are mainly dependent on public health facilities as majority of them cannot afford private healthcare services. Being one of the poorest counties in Kenya, Marsabit has been significantly affected by the strike, which has without a doubt made access to malaria treatment difficult for majority of the residents.

Health Promotion Plan

Malaria is a preventable and curable disease. Addressing the disease requires a proper understanding of its causes and risk factors. Generally, the malaria virus is transmitted to humans by the female Anopheles mosquito (Shretta, Avancena & Hatefi, 2016). The magnitude of transmission is dependent on, among other factors, the characteristics of the parasite, the human host (e.g. low immunity), and the environment (e.g. temperature, humidity, and rainfall patterns) (WHO, 2017). Anopheles mosquitoes usually lay their eggs in aquatic habitats, usually small, shallow pools of water. In tropical countries, these pools are often in plenty during the rainy seasons. Once Anopheles mosquitoes lay their eggs, they scout for blood meals to nurture them. Though mosquitoes may obtain blood from many animals, human beings are a common target, especially for African mosquito species. Indeed, this explains why majority of malaria cases are reported in Africa. The transmission of the virus occurs during a bite. Due to low immunity, children tend to be the most affected.

A health promotion plan is imperative for addressing the malaria outbreak in Marsabit County. The crisis requires urgent attention to prevent further escalation. Though there is no broadly agreed definition, a health promotion plan is an intervention aimed at improving the health of a community or population (Groepe et al., et al., 2013). The intervention focuses on not just the health issue itself, but also the underlying causes. The.....

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