SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL AND THE INCIDENCES OF MALARIA: ANY CORRELATION?

摘要

Solid waste management (SWM) strategies in Ghana are crucial in reducing the incidences of malaria. In the past, malaria control strategies focussed on medical and pharmaceutical interventions. Today, the campaign has shifted toward adopting engineering solutions to reduce the parasite Plasmodium by reduction of its vector, the mosquito (Anopheles spec.)-e.g., reducing the number of breeding sites of mosquitoes through SWM. Earlier studies show that some components of solid waste collect water and, hence, become potential breeding sites of mosquitoes. Such solid waste components are often washed by rain or blown by wind into drainage channels thus reducing their capacity to transport stormwater. Our study investigates the correlation between solid waste collection methods and the incidences of malaria. Statistical analysis of data collected in Teshie, a suburb of Accra in Ghana, show that, the type of solid waste collection method used and the incidence of malaria are moderately but significantly correlated. Other factors affecting the incidence of malaria include type of house setting and the use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs).