Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40830868›Full record

ArticleMalaria journal2025

Subnational malaria burden in Sindh, Pakistan: over a decade of evidence for tailored strategies.

Nelofer Baig, Zakir Ali, Muhammad Ahmed, Wafa Zehra Jamal, Saqib Ur Rehman, Zafar Ahmed, Riaz Hussain Rahoojo, Javed Ali Jagirani, Bilal Ahmed Usmani, Zafar Fatmi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Malaria journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
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2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Malaria Epidemiology andTropical medicine and infectious disease · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Nelofer BaigPPHI Sindh, Karachi, Pakistan.
Zakir AliPPHI Sindh, Karachi, Pakistan.
Muhammad AhmedDepartment of Urban and Infrastructure Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan.
Wafa Zehra JamalEpidemiology & Biostatistics Section, Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS), Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi, Pakistan.
Saqib Ur RehmanDepartment of Mathematics, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
Zafar AhmedDepartment of Social Work, Education & Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Riaz Hussain RahoojoPPHI Sindh, Karachi, Pakistan.
Javed Ali JagiraniPPHI Sindh, Karachi, Pakistan.
Bilal Ahmed UsmaniEpidemiology & Biostatistics Section, Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS), Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi, Pakistan.
Zafar FatmiEnvironmental-Occupational Health & Climate Change Section, Department of CHS, AKU, Karachi, Pakistan. zafar.fatmi@aku.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7212-6858

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAccurate estimates of malaria burden are crucial for allocating resources and designing effective control strategies. However, global reports often underestimate the burden in low- and middle-income countries, especially beyond the African region. This study addresses this gap by providing a longitudinal time-series analysis of malaria burden and spatio-temporal distribution in Sindh province, Pakistan.

methodsMonthly suspected malaria cases reported from 1088 primary healthcare facilities managed by the PPHI-Sindh across 23 districts of Sindh Province (excluding seven districts of Karachi), Pakistan, were analysed over a 13-year period (2012-2024). Malaria incidence was determined by dividing total malaria cases by each health facility's catchment area population. Population-weighted estimates of malaria cases were calculated to account for variations in population size across districts. Yearly time-trend (with 95% CI), seasonal variation by month (with 95% CI), and a treemap illustrating the distribution of malaria burden across districts in Sindh.

resultsAn incidence of 92 per 1000 people per annum of suspected malaria cases was reported at primary public healthcare facilities. Pooled estimates of 16.7 million cases occurred during a 13-year period, about 1.28 million cases annually. Marked heterogeneity observed in malaria burden across districts. Malaria positivity rate was 12.3%. Six districts (Khairpur, Sanghar, Naushero Feroze, Badin, Mirpurkhas, and Larkana) carried over 53% burden of malaria in Sindh. A distinct seasonal pattern with peak coinciding with the wet season and post-monsoon period was observed. Since the 2022 floods in Sindh, the malaria incidence has doubled, and it is persisting in the province.

conclusionsThe study highlights the substantial malaria burden with wet seasons and post-monsoon peaks in Sindh and identified few high-burden districts. The impact of 2022 flood seems to have persisted to 2024 and onwards, which needs immediate attention. Identification of high-burden districts could help tailor malaria control strategies. Also, the underestimation by global reports emphasizes the need for country-level and subnational analyses for informed decision-making. By addressing these gaps and refining burden estimates, Pakistan can develop more targeted strategies towards malaria control.

Indexed as

Cost of IllnessMalariaHumansIncidenceLongitudinal StudiesPakistanSeasonsSpatio-Temporal AnalysisGISHigh-burdenIncidenceMalariaSeasonalitySpatio-temporal distributionTime-series

Identifiers

PMID40830868
PMCPMC12363049

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.