International Journal of Geography and Regional Planning

Vol. 6(1), pp. 132-137, February, 2020. © www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: 2021-6009

Research Article

Identifying Malaria Hazard Areas Using GIS and Multi

Criteria: The Case Study at East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia
*1Abinet Addis, 2Bewketu Assefa, 3Tehtenaw Kefyalew
1Department of Civil Engineering, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia
2,3Department of Hydraulics and Water resource Engineering, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia

Malaria is one of the most severe public health problems worldwide with 300 to 500 million cases
and about one million deaths reported to date, 90% of which were reported from Sub Saharan
African countries like Ethiopia. The main objective of the study was identification of malaria
hazard areas by using the Arc GIS in East Gojjam zone. Weighted overlay technique of multi-
criteria analysis was used to develop the malaria-hazard map. Temperature, rainfall, altitude,
slope, distance from rivers, and soil types were considered as variables to prepare malaria hazard
map. The malaria hazard map was classified into four suitability index such as very high suitable,
high suitable, moderately suitable, and low suitable. The result shows that around 22% areas is
highly suitable for malaria hazard, 27% is high suitable, 26% is moderately suitable and 25 % is
low suitable for malaria hazard areas. It is suggested that effective identification and mapping of
malaria hazard areas may contribute for the prevention system cost effective, least time taking,
easily manageable in controlling the disease.

Key words: East Gojjam Zone, Arc GIS, Malaria.

INTRODUCTION

Malaria is a highly killer disease that affects majority of the
world’s populations especially those people living in sub-
Saharan Africa countries (Francis et al., 2016). It is
estimated that at least 3.3 billion people globally are at risk
of malaria infection. The disease is responsible for over
half a million deaths each year, mostly (90%) in sub
Saharan Africa (Onyango et al., 2016). Ethiopia is a
predominantly malaria prone country as about 75% of the
landscape of the country is favorable for breeding of the
malaria vector (Embet et al., 2016). According to WHO,
an estimated 627, 000 deaths occurred due to malaria in
2012 (WHO, 2012). In many developing nations with
diverse ecological regions, malaria is still a large cause of
human mortality (Francis et al., 2016, Bindu and Janak,
2014)]. Owing to the paucity in epidemiological data and
their spatial origin, the quantification of disease incidence
burdening basic public health planning is a major constrain
especially in developing countries (Bindu and Janak,
2014).
Malaria as a vector borne disease whose transmission and
risk levels depend on environmental factors, therefore, the
distribution of malaria in Ethiopia is largely determined by
altitude as it influence the temperature of the environ
(Betemariam and Yayeh, 2002). One of the for instance,
is temperature, as it affects mosquito development rate
and final survival of the adult mosquitoes. Vegetation
types, population density, poverty levels together with
other development and social economic factors also
greatly the influence malaria risk levels in a given locality
(Francis et al., 2016).
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a novel
technology that has evolved as a front runner in the study
of the epidemiology of Malaria. Geographic Information
Systems are a useful tool to generate interactive malaria
hazard maps allowing the management and analysis of
multiple databases taking into account the geographical
component of the different hazard factors. Multiple criteria
decision analysis approaches are used to deal with the
difficulties that decision-makers encounter in handling
*Corresponding Author: Abinet Addis, Department of
Civil Engineering, Debre Markos University, Debre
Markos, Ethiopia. E-mail: abinet_addis@dmu.edu.et
Co-Authors 2Email: Bewket.Assefa@yahoo.com;
3
Email: tehtenawK@gmail.com

Identifying Malaria Hazard Areas Using GIS and Multi Criteria: The Case Study at East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia
Addis et al. 133
Fig.1: Location Map of the study area
large extents of complex information. The principle of the
method is to divide the decision problems into smaller
understandable parts, to analyze each part separately and
then to integrate the parts in a logical manner (Malczewski,
1997). The purpose of this study is to use ArcGIS tools to
identify the malaria hazard areas in the study area
integrated with multi-criteria decision analysis method,
which consists of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP)
and weighted linear combination (WLC) methods.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study Area
East Gojjam Administrative Zone is one of the eleven
Zones of Amhara National Regional State and constitutes
20 Woredas (16 rural woredas, and 4 town administration
Woredas). It is bordered on the south by the Oromia
Region, on the west by Mirab Gojjam, on the north by
Debub Gondar, and on the east by Debub Wollo; the bend
of the Abay River defines the Zone's northern, eastern and
southern boundaries. Its highest point is Mount Choqa
Identifying Malaria Hazard Areas Using GIS and Multi Criteria: The Case Study at East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia
(also known as Mount Birhan). According from UTM
coordinate system, the location of the town is
approximately between 287743m – 449349m East and
1088275m –1242618m North (Figure 1).
Methods
East Gojjam zone was selected to identify malaria hazard
areas. For this Multi Criteria Analysis was used for creating
various layers to be used in GIS domain to produce a
single output map. The weights were developed by
providing a series of pair wise comparisons of relative
importance. Based on experience and likely impact on
surrounding environment different weights were assigned
to all the parameters. Weighted linear combination was
used to produce the suitability of malaria hazard map. As
for the final weighted factor map is a weighted linear
combination of factor maps, an equation (1) as following:
S = Σ wi x i (1)
where, S = suitability, wi = weight of factor i and xi = factor
map i.
 Int. J. Geogr. Reg. Plan. 134

gentle slope, then mosquito’s’ larva formation is possible,

hence leading to more positive bearing in malaria
incidence.

Fig. 2: Flow chart of the methodology

Table 1: Data type and their sources

No. Types of Format Sources
Datasets
1 Surface water Vector, Interpretation of ASTER
(river/streams) Shape file GDEM 30m image Fig. 3: Slope map
2 Soil texture Vector, Minister of Water and
Shape file Energy, Addis Ababa Table 2: Classification, ranking and weighting of Slope
3 Slope Raster Interpretation of ASTER factor
GDEM 30m image Factor Weight Class Rank Degree of hazard
4 Elevation/ Raster Interpretation of ASTER Slope 0-2 4 Very High
altitude GDEM 30m image (degree) 0.1 Suitability
5 Temperature Vector, Ethiopia National 2-5 3 High Suitability
Shape file Meteorological Service 5-10 2 Moderate
Agency, Addis Ababa Suitability
6 Rainfall Vector, Ethiopia National >10 1 Low Suitability
Shape file Meteorological Service
Agency, Addis Ababa Altitude

Altitude is one of the prominent factors; that was used to

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Factors for Identify Malaria Hazard Areas
Slope
Slope is one of the topographical factors that have a
bearing on the incidence of malaria. It is vital to include
slope factor with other factors to assess for the malaria risk
in community. This is because slope determines the
mosquito’s larva habitat formation (Dilip et al., 2016). If a
particular area that composed of steepest slopes, then
there will be no chance of mosquitoes’ lava habitat
formation, and hence area would have a negative
influence to malaria incidence. If a particular area has a
assess malaria hazard in the study area. The whole idea
into integrating altitude factor for assessing the malaria
hazard or risk is that of temperature difference within coast
areas and mountainous areas of the study area. The
higher terrain or high mountains have low temperature
compared to low land areas that do have high temperature.
Thus, mosquito’s habitats are well suited with low land
areas, where the temperature is relatively higher.
Communities living in highlands are subjected to fewer
malaria incidence compared to communities living in low
land areas where the chance of vector induced infections
is high because most mosquito’s’ habitats are found in low
laying areas. Higher altitude depicts less malaria risk while
low altitude depicts more malaria risk problems based on
high or low temperature (Dilip et al., 2016).

Identifying Malaria Hazard Areas Using GIS and Multi Criteria: The Case Study at East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia
Addis et al. 135

Table 4: Classification, ranking and weighting of Rainfall

factor
Factor Weight Class Rank Degree of
hazard
200- 1 Low
Annual 0.15 300 Suitability
rainfall (mm) 300- 2 Moderate
400 Suitability
400- 3 High
450 Suitability
450- 4 Very High
500 Suitability

Temperature

The ranges of minimum and maximum temperature greatly

Fig. 4: Altitude map
affect the development of the malaria parasite and its
mosquito vector, which determines malaria transmission
Table 3: Classification, ranking and weighting of Altitude
(Zewag, 2016). This indicates that, the temperature is
factor
greater than 400C the malaria transmission is high and the
Factor Weight Class Rank Degree of hazard temperature is below 160C no malaria transmission
840- 4 Very High (Ezeigbo, 1998).
Altitude 0.35 1760 Suitability
(meter) 1760- 3 High Suitability
2260
2260- 2 Moderate
2500 Suitability
2500- 1 Low Suitability
4060

Rainfall

Rainfall plays a significant role in creating favorable for

malaria transmission and also the high source of water is
more comfortable for malaria breeding. When there is a
heavy rainfall, thus mosquito breeding is unfavorable
during the rainy period since excessive rains cause
flushing, thus killing immature stages to complete its life
cycle to be an adult.
Fig. 6: Temperature Map

Table 5: Classification, ranking and weighting of

Temperature factor
Factor Weight Class Rank Degree of
hazard
Annual 16- 1 Low Suitability
temperature 0.2 18
(0c) 18- 2 Moderate
20 Suitability
20- 3 High Suitability
21
21- 4 Very High
23 Suitability

Fig. 5: Rainfall map

Identifying Malaria Hazard Areas Using GIS and Multi Criteria: The Case Study at East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia
 Int. J. Geogr. Reg. Plan. 136

Distance from Rivers

River is one of the various water bodies which are used for
malaria transmission. Breeding of mosquito is related with
different water sources. River is one among several of
these Mosquito requires still or slow-moving water to lay
its eggs and to complete its life cycle to be an adult
(Alemayehu, 2011). Water diverted from rivers for different
purposes and in case of over flow becomes still and favor
mosquito egg laying. This influences the particular area
with increased mosquito breeding and malaria prevalence.
Conducting irrigation practices and developing agricultural
projects around rivers can produce still water and as a
result, the changing ecosystem can cause an increase in
abundance of mosquitoes. The distance was reclassified
based on the maximum distance that mosquitoes can fly.
\
Fig. 8: Soil map

Table 7: Classification, ranking and weighting of Soil types

factor
Factor Weight Class Rank Degree of
hazard
leptosols, eutric
Soil types 0.05 fluvisols, orthic 1 Low
based on acrisols, and Suitability
permeability eutric regosols
Pellic vertisols,
chromic 3 High
cambisols, Suitability
luvisols and
vertisols, dystric
and eutric
nitisols, and
Fig. 7: Distance from River map eutric cambisols
Water body 4 Very High
Table 6: Classification, ranking and weighting of River Suitability
factor
Factor Weight Class Rank Degree of Identified Malaria Hazard Areas
hazard
0-500m 4 Very High In this study, some of the factors are considered to identify
Distance 0.15 Suitability malaria hazard areas. The factors are elevation, slope,
from 500- 3 High Suitability and distance from rivers, rainfall, and temperature and soil
river 1500m types of malaria occurrence in the study area. It
(meter) 1500- 2 Moderate determines number of occurrence of mosquitoes in an
4500m Suitability area, thus these leads to overlaying of each factor to
>4500m 1 Low Suitability establish and identify malaria hazard in an area. The
malaria hazard map that was prepared was derived from
Soil Types several factors. The factors were ranked, according to the
degree of importance that have for the occurrence of
The study area of soil data was obtained from minster of malaria in an area. Due to different opinions and views in
water and energy, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Abbay Basin assigning rankings and weightings to each factor and their
Soil shape file). Based on Food and Agricultural classes based on the previous studies and experts by
Organization (2006), soil classification system, the study using weighted linear combination method. In this study,
area consists of eleven soil types. The soil layer of the the final output map of malaria hazard after overlaying six
study area was classified according to their degree of hold factors namely; Altitude, slope, distance from rivers,
moisture and being permeable or impermeable. temperature, rainfall and soil types was weighted and
ranked in ArcGIS 10.4 using weighted overlay analysis
tool, shown the following (Figure 9).
Identifying Malaria Hazard Areas Using GIS and Multi Criteria: The Case Study at East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia
Addis et al. 137
Fig.9: Malaria Hazard Map
The area coverage of each suitability index of the malaria
hazard area was calculated in ArcGIS environment
showed that 840.24 Km2 (25%), 857.07 Km2 (27%), 894.60
Km2 (27%) and 716.49 Km2 (22%), representing of low,
moderate, high, and very high suitability of malaria hazard
areas respectively, with different suitability indices. Hence,
it is possible to conclude that the majority of the area (more
than 49%) is under high and very high hazard of malaria.
From the finding result, the woreda of Gozamen, Baso
liben, Awabel, and Dejen are high and very high of malaria
hazard. This is due to the lower altitude and the higher
temperatures for mosquito breeding.
CONCULUSION
This study was aimed at producing malaria hazard map of
East Gojjam zone so that it can help to improve the
management and control of malaria disease. This study
has shown that the ArcGIS is important to identify malaria
hazard areas for malaria disease control. The hazard map
was produced depending upon the factors. The malaria
incidence and transmission require the environment with
lower elevation (higher temperature), occurrence of gentle
slopes, and availability of still waters around rivers. Hence,
from the result of the overlay analysis of the factors, it is
possible to conclude that about 49% of the total area is a
highly and very high exposed to malaria hazard.
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Accepted 4 December 2019
Citation: Addis A, Assefa B, Kefyalew T (2020). Identifying
Malaria Hazard Areas Using GIS and Multi Criteria: The
Case Study at East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia. International
Journal of Geography and Regional Planning 6(1): 132-
137.
Copyright: © 2020: Addis et al. This is an open-access
article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author and source are cited.