Author(s): Lequechane, Joaquim Domingos ; Craveiro, Isabel ; Azevedo, Nicole ; Abílio, Ana Paula ; Zimba, Edna ; Carvalho, Maria ; Duajá, Ana ; Gonçalves, Luzia ; Manuel, João Luís ; Silveira, Henrique
Date: 2024
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10362/172962
Origin: Repositório Institucional da UNL
Subject(s): Malaria; Mosquito breeding sites; Participatory mapping; Parasitology; Infectious Diseases; SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the support from the project team at Tambai: Cristina Keni; Domingos Jambo; Jo\u00E3o S\u00E1dia; Jorge Fundice; S\u00E9rgio Henriques, No\u00E9 Manuel and Zacarias Fernando, local community leaders, National Public Health Directorate \u2013 National Program of Malaria Control, Sofala Provincial Directorate of Health\u2014National Program of Malaria Control-Sofala, Nhamatanda Health Districtal Directorate. The authors also thank Eug\u00EAnio Raul Natissone Phiri, Fernando Castigo and all CIOB team for the support in coordination of breeding-sites georeferencing and in support of mapping organization process, Nilzio Cavele, from the INS Mozambique for helpful discussion and performing exploratory geostatistics and R\u00E9ka Maulide Cane for revising the manuscript. The authors are grateful to the Funda\u00E7\u00E3o Belmiro de Azevedo, Portugal for funding the project. JDL, IC, LG, and HS are GHTM and LA-REAL members, and R&D Centers financed by Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e a Tecnologia (UID/04413/2020, LA/P/0117/2020, respectively). LG is also CEAUL member (UIDB/00006/2020, UIDP/00006/2020). Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.
Background: The community involvement and the people’s knowledge allow detailed information about the distribution, location, and identification of mosquito breeding-sites. Information which is fundamental for their efficient management and elimination. Since participatory mapping has proven to be an effective tool to identify health determinants, the study aimed to apply the methodology to identify and map potential mosquito breeding-sites in Tambai, Nhamatanda, Mozambique. Methods: A study was conducted using an open-question guide. Discussions were held with 94 participants within ten focus groups, selected in collaboration with local community leaders. A thematic content analysis was performed. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize sociodemographic data. Geographic Positioning System (GPS) was used to compare and map potential breeding-sites. Children under 5 years of age who tested positive for malaria, were georeferenced to the maps. Results: Participants were aware of causes and transmission of malaria, no major differences between groups were observed regarding knowledge and identification of principal potential breeding sites. Gender and age determined specific information, number, and diversity of identified potential breeding sites. A total of 125 potential breeding-sites (36 permanent and 89 temporary) were mapped. Conclusions: Several potential mosquito breeding-sites were identified, located throughout the community, often near house conglomerates and malaria cases. Community participatory mapping could be used to identify potential mosquito breeding-sites by the national malaria control programmes to establish an efficient larval surveillance system, while improving community engagement and control strategies. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04419766.
