Developing a community-centred malaria early warning system based on indigenous knowledge: Gwanda District, Zimbabwe.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Environmental Science
• Anthropology

Background:

• Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Decades of control efforts have not fully integrated community-level knowledge.
• Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) on malaria prediction are often overlooked in control programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) on malaria into the malaria control program in Gwanda District, Zimbabwe.
• To explore community understanding of malaria as a hazard and its environmental indicators.
• To develop a community-based malaria early warning system (EWS) model.

Main Methods:

• A 3-year study utilizing participatory rural appraisals, key informant interviews, household interviews, and workshops.
• Data collection in three high-incidence wards (11, 15, 18) of Gwanda District.
• Identification of volunteer IKS experts to record indigenous environmental indicators.

Main Results:

• Community-generated disease livelihoods calendars revealed knowledge on malaria's link to temperature and rainfall.
• Indigenous environmental indicators for malaria occurrence were classified into insects, plant phenology, animals, weather, and cosmological factors, with plant phenology being prominent.
• A community-based malaria EWS model was developed and implemented in two wards, involving IKS experts and health workers.

Conclusions:

• Integrating IKS into malaria control programs is feasible and valuable.
• Indigenous environmental indicators can effectively inform malaria prediction and early warning systems.
• Community participation and local knowledge are crucial for successful malaria control strategies.