Awareness on critical prevention practices to combat the drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria from Rajasthan, India

Abstract

The ability of the Plasmodium parasites to develop resistance to commonly used antimalarial is the biggest challenge for malaria elimination. This threat is being accelerated by the systematic misuse or overuse of antimalarial, as well as inadequate infection prevention and control. Most disease control strategies require active community participation, which in turn depends on an individual’s knowledge and alertness to the disease. This study was undertaken to understand the awareness of the local public, predominantly rural, regarding the use of antimalarial, current status of drug resistance and critical prevention practices or alternatives used to combat malaria in and around Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was designed and data was collected using an observational checklist. On the whole, our data shows that while nearly three fourth of the respondents were aware of the mosquito bite, only 10% knew about the parasite Plasmodium. About one-tenth of the people were aware of Chloroquine as well as drug resistance. Further, to fill the knowledge gaps of the target audiences, malaria control strategies were personalized as an effort to strengthen existing malaria prevention approaches and proper usage of drug regimens to eliminate malaria.