SOCIAL DETERMINANTS AND RISK FACTORS OF MALARIA PARASITE IN DERA GHAZI KHAN, PAKISTAN

Malaria is well recognized infectious disease all over the world and in Pakistan which remains endemic in so many areas.Pakistan has been reported to have mainly two species, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum.P. vivax is far too common, causing several morbidities across the country.On the other hand, Plasmodium falciparum is a major source of mortality in Pakistan.Malaria is a major global health issue.Epidemiological data from diverse regions of Pakistan are insufficient to accurately assess frequency of various types of malaria.Climatic conditions of Pakistan provide ideal conditions for mosquito breeding.A cross-sectional study was conducted to find prevalence and associated risk factors of various forms of malaria presenting with fever and its response to anti-malarial medicines in Dera Ghazi Khan.To detect malaria parasites, the blood films were being stained with 10% working solution of Giemsa and microscopically examined using a 100X immersion oil objective and produced a thin blood film.Results of the study demonstrated that overall prevalence of malaria was 45.3% in urban people that shows that it remains a major public health problem in the urban areas.