Abstract
BackgroundThe recent introduction of mobile phones into the rural Bandarban district of Bangladesh provided a resource to improve case detection and treatment of patients with malaria.MethodsDuring studies to define the epidemiology of malaria in villages in south-eastern Bangladesh, an area with hypoendemic malaria, the project recorded 986 mobile phone calls from families because of illness suspected to be malaria between June 2010 and June 2012.ResultsBased on phone calls, field workers visited the homes with ill persons, and collected blood samples for malaria on 1,046 people. 265 (25%) of the patients tested were positive for malaria. Of the 509 symptomatic malaria cases diagnosed during this study period, 265 (52%) were detected because of an initial mobile phone call.ConclusionMobile phone technology was found to be an efficient and effective method for rapidly detecting and treating patients with malaria in this remote area. This technology, when combined with local knowledge and field support, may be applicable to other hard-to-reach areas to improve malaria control.
Highlights
The recent introduction of mobile phones into the rural Bandarban district of Bangladesh provided a resource to improve case detection and treatment of patients with malaria
Mobile phones may emerge as a vital tool in case detection and delivery of healthcare services in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh
The study findings show that many cases of malaria were detected and treated appropriately, even in remote areas, with the help of mobile phones
Summary
The recent introduction of mobile phones into the rural Bandarban district of Bangladesh provided a resource to improve case detection and treatment of patients with malaria. Conclusion: Mobile phone technology was found to be an efficient and effective method for rapidly detecting and treating patients with malaria in this remote area This technology, when combined with local knowledge and field support, may be applicable to other hard-to-reach areas to improve malaria control. Between 2008 and 2011, malaria cases decreased from 84,690 to 51,773 and malaria deaths decreased from 154 to 36, coincident with infusion of Global Fund money with distribution of bed nets, availability of rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) [4]. These reports may underestimate the true disease burden [2].
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