Comparative study of malaria prevalence in the health districts of Kayes and Sélingué from 2018 to 2022

Abstract

In Mali, malaria transmission is heterogeneous due to the diversity of eco-climatic zones and the complexity of the vector system. This study aimed to compare malaria prevalence in the health districts of Kayes and Sélingué from 2018 to 2022. This was a cross-sectional study analyzing District Health Information Software-2 data from 2018 to 2022. All complete records were considered and analyzed using R software, and comparisons were made using StatsTester_4.0.1. The significance threshold was 5%. Anonymity and confidentiality were
respected. Children under 5 years of age were the most represented in both health districts. The annual prevalence of malaria was statistically higher in the Sélingué health district than in Kayes in 2018 (10.6% vs. 3.9%; p=0.001), 2019 (10.4% vs. 4.7%; p=0.001), 2020 (9.6% vs. 3.4%; p=0.001), 2021 (7.5% vs. 3.2%; p=0.001), and 2022 (12.1% vs. 3.5%; p=0.001). Rapid diagnostic testing was the most commonly used diagnostic method in both districts (94.72% in Kayes and 94.06% in Sélingué). The third quarter was the period of high disease transmission in both districts. Our results showed high malaria transmission in Sélingué compared to Kayes. The national diagnostic policy is being followed in both districts with the use of rapid diagnostic tests. Further research is needed to explore the factors influencing malaria transmission and to better tailor interventions.