CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR INCREASING INCIDENCE OF MALARIA IN Talata asher VILLAGE, TESSENEY DISTRICT, GASH BARKA, ERITREA 2023

Abstract Background: The expansion of new malaria vector knows to call An. stephensi in Sub-Saharan-Africa (SSA) is another challenge in malaria elimination .The use of long lasting insecticidal net(LLINs) ,indoor residual spraying (IRS) and environmental management targeted to eliminating mosquitoes breeding sites is the main malaria prevention strategies. This study aimed at assessing the factors for increasing incidence of malaria in talataasher village, teseney district gash barka region of Eritrea. Methods: The quantitative descriptive cross sectional & qualitative study was conducted in Talata Asher village, Tesseney district, Gash barka, Eritrea which is found in gash barka, Eritrea in border with Sudan. A total of 102 households interviewed, 10 households for indoor breeding site assessment, 10 outdoor breeding habitat for outdoor breeding assessment and also twelve participants for focus group discussion. Data was collected using a standard structured questionnaire, standard entomological forms and analyzed using SPSS version 2025. Results: Of the 102 households assessed 92.2% of the households own at least one LLINs, 73.2% two or more LLINs. Only about 23% of all households had sufficient numbers of LLINs to meet the desired target in the household. Nearly 87.2 % of household members were used the net for sleeping under, but only 52.9% slept under LLINs during the previous night. The majority of the house holds 40.4 % were slept under LLINs after ten pm. Out of the total 60% of the households mentioned only one environmental management campaign performed through the whole year in the area. With regards to the total morphologically identified Anopheles from the artificial and natural breeding habitat, 34.3% and 27.9% were An.stephensi which is the new emerging malaria vector respectively. Conclusions: The low bed net utilization and practice of environmental management targeted to malaria prevention results the increasing malaria incidence in study site. In addition, to that the presence of new emerging malaria vector An. Stephensi in the study area also the cause increased incidence. Therefore there is a need to a special attention on the behavior of the new vector and a need to promote the whole population on the core malaria prevention methods.