The use of a GIS-based malaria information system for malaria research and control in South Africa

doi:10.1016/S1353-8292(02)00008-4

Health & Place

Volume 8, Issue 4, December 2002, Pages 227-236

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1353-8292(02)00008-4 Get rights and content

Abstract

The paper aims to outline the innovative development and application of a Geographical Information System based Malaria Information System for malaria research and control in South Africa. This system is a product of collaboration between the Malaria Control Programmes and the Malaria Research Programme of the Medical Research Council of South Africa. The ability of such a system to process data timeously into a usable format is discussed, as well as its relevance to malaria research, appropriate malaria control measures, tourism, and social and economic development.

Section snippets

Background

Malaria is an environmental disease, with the large-scale limits of its distribution being largely determined by rainfall and temperature (Craig et al., 1999). Administrative units of smaller scale, such as Provinces and magisterial districts, are subject to an increasing number of small area variables (Booman et al., 2000; Le Sueur et al., 1997). This highlights the need to collect, manage, display and analyse malaria data at the micro-level in order to understand the factors that result in

The Malaria Information System (MIS)

The aim of implementing MISs in each of the three malarious provinces was to provide a standardised, verified, set of core data that could be easily accessed to support malaria research and control.

The MIS is a PC-based purpose-designed system which consists of the following components:

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A user-friendly front-end for data input, management and output.
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An automated mapping component running off a vector-based GIS (MapInfo).
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A relational database (Microsoft Access) of household data including:

Discussion

GIS has been used to display malaria incidence at a variety of administrative levels in South Africa, from the national level for tourism, to the village/settlement level for specific malaria control activities. The usefulness and applicability of administrative district level maps can be summarised by the following paragraph. “Incidence maps at the district level are thus useful in helping to focus overall efforts and resources (human and financial) to areas of most need, and are particularly

Conclusion

Collaborative projects and data sharing between the country's three Malaria Control Programmes and the MRP ensure a continuous and current understanding of the disease profile in South Africa. The use of the MIS by the MCP's has provided a mechanism with which to focus control operations. The collection of standardised core data sets has also allowed research to be undertaken at all levels of detail both within each province and across the region (Sharp and Le Sueur, 1996).

This GIS-based MIS

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Malaria Control Programmes and their Managers in the joint initiative to establish Malaria Information Systems in the respective provinces. The South African Medical Research Council supported this work financially.

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The use of a GIS-based malaria information system for malaria research and control in South Africa

Abstract

Section snippets

Background

The Malaria Information System (MIS)

Discussion

Conclusion

Acknowledgements

Parasitology Today

Using a Geographical Information System to plan a malaria control programme in South Africa

Bulletin of the World Health Organisation

Historical perspective of the malaria problem in Natal with emphasis on the period 1928–1932

South African Journal of Science

The Navstar Global Positioning System