Surveys

Numerous surveys have been conducted in Zambia that measure progress in increasing the coverage of malaria interventions as part of the Ministry of Health's planned activities and through the work of many RBM partners. Among household surveys, the 2008 National Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) and the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2007 are the most recent measurements of malaria intervention coverage. Previous surveys include the RBM baseline and follow-up surveys in 10 sentinel districts, Society for Family Health periodic evaluations, the 2001-02 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), the UNICEF-sponsored Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey and several other smaller-scale surveys. See the Table 1 below for a summary of key findings from these surveys. Requests for comprehensive MIS data sets can be made directly through the Ministry of Health by clicking here.

A number of facility-based surveys have been conducted in Zambia in recent years. In 2006, the Ministry of Health conducted a national health facility census, and in December 2005, the Health Services and Systems Project (HSSP) conducted a large-scale baseline facility survey assessing many key malaria service delivery issues, including IPT and provider practices for antimalarial treatment. The RBM baseline and follow up surveys present the most comprehensive facility assessments for malaria. Another recently published study provides insight into providers' prescribing behaviour for antimalaria treatment.

2008 Zambia Malaria Indicator Survey Zambia has made dramatic progress in its fight to control malaria, as evidenced by results from the country’s 2008 MIS. Most notable is the impact on Zambia’s most vulnerable group, its children. In only two years, malaria parasite prevalence in children under age five years has been reduced by 54%, and severe anemia has been reduced by 69%. (See table below.) Since 2002, malaria infection and illness in this same age group have decreased substantially, and the all-cause mortality rate for children under age five years has dropped by 29%—meaning an estimated 75,000 lives have been saved. Table 1. Making progress in Zambia Indicator DHS 2001/ 2002 MIS 2006 DHS 2007 MIS 2008 Percent change 2006-2008 Percentage of households with at least one insecticide-treated net (ITN) 13.6 37.8 53.3 62.3 +65 Percentage of households in targeted indoor residual spraying (IRS) districts receiving IRS in the previous 12 months NA 25.8 NA 42.7 +66 Percentage of households covered by at least one ITN or recent IRS NA 43.2 NA 65.5 +52 Percentage of children ages 0–59 months who slept under an ITN the previous night 6.5 24.3 28.5 41.1 +69 Percentage of pregnant women (PW) who slept under an ITN the previous night 7.9 24.5 32.7 43.2 +76 Percentage of children ages 0–59 months with severe anemia (Hb<8 g/dl) NA 13.8 NA 4.3 -69 Percentage of children ages 0–59 months with malaria parasitemia NA 22.1 NA 10.2 -54