Farming Communities Vulnerability to Malaria under Climate Change Conditions in the Bole District, Northern Region, Ghana

Abstract

This paper assessed farming communities vulnerability to malaria under climate change conditions in an area of northern region of Ghana, namely, Bole district. The study focused on factors influencing the farming households’ vulnerability to malaria especially those related to climate change. It analysed the trend in rainfall and temperature data series; it estimated the direct and indirect cost of malaria care; and it determined the proportion of farming households’ income spent on malaria treatment. Primary data were obtained through questionnaire administration and focus group discussion while temperature and rainfall data were sourced from the Ghana Meteorological Service. Outpatient diagnosis data were obtained from Ministry of Health and health centres. The result reveals a clear evidence of increasing in temperature patterns during the period under investigation. It also showed an increase of malaria cases during rainy season. A part from increase of temperature, total direct cost of malaria care, number of people comprising the farming household, support for malaria prevention, information about mosquito breeding and development and absenteeism from farm emerged as the main factors influencing the farming households’ vulnerability to malaria. Furthermore, malaria care represent a substantial portion of poor farming household income, direct and indirect cost of malaria treatment is negatively affecting the household budget. The outcome of this study should help the government to reinforce the National Malaria Control Program at the farming household level and to make National Health Insurance Scheme more efficient. Furthermore, a similar study should be conducted to look at the effects of temperature increase on the direct and indirect cost of malaria treatment over a certain number of years in order to ascertain the real effect of temperature increase on the cost of malaria treatment.