Abstract:
Malaria, now days, is one of the main health problem in the world. In poor continents like
Africa the problem is very serious and dangerous because of several factors. Objective: the
main objective of this study is to assess and develop a Malaria risk susceptibility hot spot areas
and Malaria risk map of Mirab Abaya woreda using Remote Sensing and GIS techniques.
During the present study, a Malaria-risk map of Mirab Abaya woreda was prepared by
establishing the relationship of various climatic and non-climatic variables related to the
disease. Methodology: Weighted overlay technique of multi-criteria evaluation was used to
prepare the malaria-risk map. Temperature, rainfall, elevation, slope, distance from rivers,
distance from lakes and ponds, and land-use/land-cover patterns were used to identify
Malaria-risk areas. Malaria risk factor layers were overlaid, and further verified by ground
truth and reports of Malaria cases to produce the final Malaria-risk map. Result: the final
malaria risk map of the study area, which shows the level of malaria risk in an extent of
16384.16 hectare (26.72%) as very high, 19621.97 hectare (32.12%) high, 13489.96 hectare
(22.54%) moderate and 11037.24 hectare (18.62 %) low. Four categories of Malaria-risk
ranging from very high to low were derived. Conclusion Thus, most of the study area is
subjected to high and very high Malaria risk. Recommendation: GIS and Remote Sensing
technology makes vector born diseases prevention and control program easy by enabling to
map the breeding habitat, risk level and to make prediction to establish early warning system
for impending epidemics. So, if possible the Woreda health office could use the technology for
vector born disease prevention and control programs.
