Spatial analysis and mapping of malaria risk areas using multi-criteria decision making in Didessa District, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

Malaria has long been a cause of human suffering and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to assess the spatial distribution of malaria risk using MCE (Multi-Criteria Evaluation). To analyze and generate a spatial malaria risk level distribution map. Factors that affect the spatial malaria hazard and risk distribution have been considered. Such as; temperature, rainfall, altitude, slope, distance from the river, population density, and land use land cover factors were selected to produce a malaria risk map of the Didessa district area. GIS based multi-criteria evaluation method applied using weighted overlay analysis by considering three map layer factors (i.e. malaria hazard map layer, element at risk map layer, and vulnerability map layer), an optimum malaria risk map is produced. The malaria risk map result shows that 0.68%, 36.2%, 30.1%, 27.52% 5.5% of the study area falls under very high, high, moderate, low, and very low spatial malaria risk levels respectively. Our findings indicate that malaria is heavily influenced by major environmental parameters and socio-economic factors and these factors play a vital role either directly or indirectly in the occurrence of this vector-borne disease. In conclusion, 36.88% (31034.88 ha) of the study area has a high potential risk of malaria disease manifestation and occurrence. The result of this report indicates that there are high malaria risk areas in the district. This ascertains the communities living in those areas are prone to the disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need to prevent and progressively reduce malaria disease distribution through policy formulation and health care implementation in prioritized areas. This study is useful to use as a guideline for further research study in combating malaria distribution, particularly in developing countries.

Keywords:

• Didessa district
• GIS
• malaria
• MCE
• risk
• weighted overlay

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Malaria is one of the most epidemic diseases and affecting many millions of people in sub-Sahara Africa and particularly, Ethiopia. The objective of this research was to assess the spatial distribution of malaria risk in the Didessa district, southwest of Ethiopia. GIS-based MCE method is applied to produce an optimum spatial malaria risk map by considering different factors (e.g. temperature, rainfall, altitude, slope, distance from the river, population density, and land use land cover). Therefore the result of the spatial distribution malaria risk map shows that 36.88 % (31034.88 ha) of the study area has a high potential risk of malaria disease manifestation and occurrence. This asserts that the area requires imideiate progressive attention to control and prevent the rsik of malaria diseases occurrence. The result of this report is useful for planning and implementing malaria intervention work and facilitating health centers to minimize the impacts of malaria disease in the district.

Competing Interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author contributions

SG contributed to the analysis and prepared and wrote the manuscript and reviewed. NT collected the data and analyzed it, AR participated in reviewing the research paper.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Jimma University for providing conducing facilities to conduct the research study.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Notes on contributors

Sintayehu Legesse Gebre

Sintayehu Legesse Gebre is an assistant professor in Hydrology and water resource engineering at the Department of Natural resources management, Jimma University, Ethiopia. He has multidisciplinary academic background and professional experiences. He has an M.Sc degree in Irrigation Engineering, Arbaminch University, M.Sc in Earth and Environment (esp. in Hydrology and quantitative water management from Wageningen University, a post-graduate certificate in remote sensing and digital image processing from the University of Twente, The Netherlands, and a Post-graduate certificate in water technology from Antwerp University. Currently, he is a fellow researcher at KU Leuven University, Belgium. He has a research interest in optimization, irrigation water management, climate science, geospatial application, and hydrological modeling. Neserdin Temam was a researcher at Jimma University. Dr.Alemayehu Regassa is an associate professor in soil science at the department of Natural resources management, Jimma University.