Abstract

An assessment of the malaria prevalence and some of its risk factors was conducted in the Finchaa Sugar Factory estate, western Ethiopia, based on analysis of retrospective data from the health center, a cross-sectional survey using blood slides and a questionnaire. Over the period 2001 to 2005 average prevalence among suspected patients at the health centre was 30.9%. Examination of thick and thin blood films from a random sample of 700 individuals from 7 villages revealed infection rates of 1.4% in November 2005 and 3.9% in April/May 2006. Out of 37 malaria positives, more than half was due toPlasmodium vivax and the rest was Plasmodium falciparum. The study detected focal variation of prevalence associated with location of the village, presence of pools and socio-economic circumstances. Awareness of malaria transmission and control was generally low. Malaria is a year-round public health problem in Finchaa, possibly perpetuated by permanent water bodies, high influx of migrant laborers and reduced effectiveness of current control measures.

Key words: Malaria, irrigation, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, public health, Ethiopia.