Abstract
Background An indigenously developed digital handheld Android-based geographical information system (GIS)-tagged tablets (TABs) device has been deployed in Mangaluru city, Karnataka, India for smart surveillance in malaria elimination programme from October 2014. Here a detailed account is enumerated in the post-digitization years. The study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of the digitized surveillance system under the ongoing health system in Mangaluru city.
Methods A software developed for digitization of malaria surveillance was continued in the post-digitization years (PDY). The same digitization year (DY) protocol was followed in the post-digitization periods also. Secondary data from the malaria control software, total nunber of cases, active surveillance, malaria indices, and feedback from stakeholders were looked at and analyzed.
Results Digital surveillance was sustained and the performance improved in the 5th year with participation of all stakeholders. Malaria indices significantly reduced to about 65% in the digitization years compared with digitization year (p<0.001). Slide positivity rate (SPR) decreased from 10.36 (DY) to 4.3 (PDY4). Annual parasite incidence (API) decreased from 16.17 (DY) to 5.4 (PDY4). There was a tempo-spatial correlation between closure of cases on 14th day and incidence of malaria. There was a negative correlation between contact smears and incidence of malaria (r = -0.907). Good impact was recorded in the pre-monsoon months (∼85%) and low impact in July and August months (∼40%).
Conclusion Software helped to improve incidence-centric active surveillance, complete treatment with documentation of elimination of parasite, targeted vector control measures. The learnings and analytical output from the data helped to modify strategies for local control of both disease and the vector.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Clinical Trial
This is not a clinical trial
Funding Statement
No external funding received
Author Declarations
I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.
Yes
The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:
Institutional Ethics Committee, Kasturba Medical College, Mangaluru, India gave opinion as not required
All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived.
Yes
I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).
Yes
I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.
Yes
Footnotes
Email addresses of all authors
1. B. Shantharam Baliga: drbsbaliga{at}gmail.com
2. Shrikala Baliga: shrikala.baliga{at}manipal.edu
3. Animesh Jain: animesh_j{at}yahoo.com
4. Naveen Kulal: naveenchandra49{at}gmail.com
5. Manu Kumar: manukumar1983{at}yahoo.com
6. Naren Koduvattat: naren.koduvattat{at}gmail.com
7. B.G. Prakash Kumar: prakashkumarbg60{at}gmail.com
8. Arun Kumar: auaav4{at}gmail.com
9. Susanta K. Ghosh: ghoshnimr{at}gmail.com
Data Availability
The data used in this study are archived with Dr BS Baliga and available from them upon reasonable request.
Abbreviations
- TABs
- Tablets
- GIS
- Geographic Information System
- NVBDCP
- National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme
- MPWs
- Multi Purpose Workers
- MCS
- Malaria Control Software
- DY
- Digitization year
- ASARC
- Active Surveillance Around Reported Case
- ABER
- Annual Blood Examination Rate
- API
- Annual Parasite Incidence
- SPR
- Slide Positivity Rate
- SFR
- Slide Falciparum Rate
- IEC
- Information Education and Communication
- IT
- Information Technology
- MCC
- Mengaluru City corporation