Dependence of Malaria Disease on Changes in Rainfall and Temperature in Ado Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

The issue of malaria disease is a major problem globally and especially in Africa where the favourable environmental condition has led to high infections and the death of millions of people. Thus, this study investigates the impacts of changes in rainfall and temperature patterns on the variations in malaria disease among the youth, adult male and adult female in Ado local government area of Ekiti State, Nigeria. A total population of 207,033 infected people were recorded over 2002-2011 period where 101,943 are youths, 51,199 are adult male while the numbers of adult female are 53,891. The results show good positive correlation between the malaria spread and the intensity of rainfall; thus indicating that increasing rainfall level will raise the numbers of anopheles mosquitoes through availability of more breeding places for the malaria vectors. Also, the disease will spread more under a moderately high temperature while there are fewer infections if temperature is extremely high or too low. The prevalence of the disease could cause huge economic loss and poor standard of education due to low turn-out at schools and at work. Hence, there is need to protect the population, especially the poor, vulnerable youths and pregnant women through improved personal hygiene, provision of treated mosquito nets, insecticides and good medical services at affordable prices.

Keywords: Malaria disease; Mosquito; Rainfall; Temperature; Ado-Ekiti