Malaria Control in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies

Abstract

War, famine, civil conflict, and political persecution displacing large populations often leads to severe disruptions in health services, disease control programs, food distribution systems, and loss of shelter. When the dimensions of the crisis overwhelm the local and international communities' ability to respond quickly and effectively, significant morbidity and mortality result in what is termed a complex humanitarian emergency. The public health consequences have been most severe in underdeveloped nations where most deaths are caused by communicable diseases, which include malaria. This paper describes and analyses the factors that contribute to malaria morbidity and mortality and proposes effective measures to combat them.