Ifakara Masterclass Edition 17- The Elegant Math of Malaria Transmission & Its Control: A MasterClass with Prof. David L Smith.

The Elegant Math of Malaria Transmission & Its Control

The 17th edition of the masterclass hosted by Fredros Okumu from Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) and Sheila Ogoma from Clinton Health Access Initiative(CHAI) features Prof David L Smith.

The conversation dives straight into an article published in the 1980 that mentions mathematical modelling of some sorts and its use in malaria control. The paper was titled “Indicators for forecasting of malaria epidemics”. It highlighted certain entomological parameters the malaria epidemiological equillibrium depended on which are:

1. Daily survival rate of vector(p)
2. Man-biting frequency(a)
3. length of sporogonic cycle(n)
4. Proportion of anophelines with sporozoites that are actually infective(b) and parasitological factors like parasite rate(x) an dproportion of parasite carriers with gametocytes(g).

Entomological inoculation rate(EIR) and adressing challenges of residual malarial transmission, heterogenicity and relative field data is discussed in detail. Mapping and targeting malaria hotspots and residual transmission, optimal combinations and deployment of interventions and human movements & malaria transmission is also talked about thoroughly. David dwells into exploration of alternative options for getting to zero malaria in Africa and its plausibility .