Sustainability of a community-based environmental management malaria control programme: A case of the Environmental Health Project in Jinja District

Abstract

The study assessed the sustainability of a community-based environmental management (EM) malaria control programme in Jinja Police Barracks. It set out to: explore malaria control practices in prior to the EM project; examine the current malaria control practices and assess the constraints to continued practice of EM for malaria control. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods, namely structured interviews, key informant interviews and focus group discussions and observation. Review of secondary data was also done. The study established that various environmental and non- direct environmental activities were used to control malaria in the police barracks. Most of the practices like grass planting, drainage clearing and filling puddles were maintained. Key constraints in EM were poverty, high expectations for monetary rewards, and high attrition among police officers. In conclusion, the community based EM malaria control program in the police barracks was to some extent sustainable. It would therefore be important to allocate more funding to malaria prevention and control activities and also to integrate EM and hygiene practices with other malaria control efforts for effectiveness.