Incidence, trend and geographical disparity of malaria in pregnancy, Savannah Region, Ghana, 2018-2022

Abstract

Introduction: Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) remains a major public health concern in Ghana despite the heavy investment in the fight against malaria. The burden of MiP in the Savannah Region is not well documented. This study described the incidence and distribution of MiP in the region from 2018 to 2022. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional descriptive analysis. Institutional MiP and ANC data from 2018 to 2022 in the Savannah Region, was extracted from DHIMS2 and sent to Microsoft Excel 19. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed. Results were summarized in tables, graphs, and maps. Results: A total of 51,479 pregnant women were suspected of malaria, out of which 90.8% (46,734/51,479) were tested. More than half of the pregnant women were confirmed positive for malaria, 54.5% (54.0 – 54.9). Most of the cases were among adolescent pregnant women, 59.0% (58.0 – 60.0). The incidence of MiP over the five years was 210.8 (208.5 – 213.1) per 1,000. Adolescent pregnant women were more affected, 318.9 (311.9 – 326.0) per 1,000. The highest incidence was reported in the Bole District, 402.2 (396.2 – 408.2) per 1,000 pregnant women, while the North-East-Gonja District reported the lowest incidence, 76.7 (70.6 – 83.0) per 1,000. The trend of the MiP was relatively stable, marginally increasing from 213.7 (208.3 – 217.1) per 1,000 in 2018 to 224.5 (219.4 – 229.7) per 1,000 in 2022. Conclusion: The incidence of MiP in the Savannah Region was high, with Bole District recording the highest incidence among the seven districts of the region. There is a need for community-level education, especially among pregnant women, on adherence to malaria control interventions. Further research is required to help determine factors associated with MiP in high-incidence districts.