Community perception of mosquitoes, malaria and its control in Binga and Gokwe Districts, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The success of community participation in primary health care depends on the peoples’ knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to the diseases that affect them. Given the changing health care delivery system in Zimbabwe, greater self reliance on the part of affected communities is expected to play a greater role in future. As far as malaria prevention and control is concerned, this is designed to operate in largely marginalized communities which have previously relied on state run control operations. Annual indoor house spraying using residual insecticide remains the main method for malaria control in Zimbabwe but the trend is shifting towards integrated control encompassing the use of personal protection for prevention and environmental and biological means for source reduction of vector mosquitoes. The use of insecticide impregnated bed nets has gained popularity with the World Health Organization as a malaria control measure following successful trials in West and East Africa.