Zanzibar is comprised primarily of two large islands with a population of 1.3 million. Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaigns, distribution of long-lasting insecticide treated bed nets (LLINs), ensuring treatment medication is available, and use of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) have reduced Malaria prevalence from 39% in 2005[1] to less than 1% in 2011-2012. This is the third time Zanzibar has been close to eliminating malaria, but there are serious challenges. These include vector resistance to pyrethroids, the shortlived efficacy of LLINs, and resistance to behavior change. Constant traffic with mainland Tanzania and foreign countries also poses the risk of outbreaks. An effective and sustained surveillance and rapid response system is essential to control outbreaks and optimize interventions.
Objective
This presentation aims to share the results of a six-year effort to use mobile health (mHealth) technology to help eliminate malaria from a well-defined geographic area. This presentation will review the history, technology, results, lessons-learned, and applicability to other contexts.