Cross Border Malaria Control Programs

Chelimo Faith Rebecca

Department of Clinical Medicine and Dentistry Kampala International University Uganda

Email: rebecca.chelimo@studwc.kiu.ac.ug

ABSTRACT

Cross-border malaria control programs have become indispensable components of regional and global health strategies aimed at achieving malaria elimination. These initiatives emphasize cooperation among countries sharing porous borders where human mobility, environmental factors, and socioeconomic disparities facilitate sustained transmission. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, established in 2002, remains the principal funding mechanism supporting these efforts, having disbursed over US$21.7 billion to more than 150 countries. Recent innovations, particularly Geographic Information Systems (GIS), mobile health (m-health) applications, and decision-support systems are revolutionizing the detection, monitoring, and control of malaria in endemic regions. GIS technology facilitates spatial mapping, vector surveillance, and environmental modeling, allowing for evidence-based decision-making in malaria control programs across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Likewise, m-health applications enable timely reporting, real-time case management, and improved coordination among health workers, particularly in remote and border communities. Community engagement and education remain central to malaria elimination success, fostering local ownership and compliance with preventive interventions such as indoor residual spraying (IRS), insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), and early diagnosis initiatives. Furthermore, monitoring and evaluation frameworks have evolved to capture dynamic indicators beyond morbidity and mortality, focusing instead on transmission foci, parasitological confirmation, and imported case tracking. However, challenges persist in sustaining funding, harmonizing policies, and ensuring cross-border coordination. The future of malaria control depends on integrating sustainable practices, strengthening research and development, and mobilizing domestic political will to complement international support. Effective cross-border malaria control will require adaptive policy mechanisms, regional data-sharing platforms, and sustained commitment to innovation, ultimately driving the global malaria eradication agenda toward 2030.

KEYWORDS: Cross-Border Malaria Control, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Fund, Mobile Health (m-Health) Innovations, and Regional Health Collaboration.

CITE AS: Chelimo Faith Rebecca (2025). Cross Border Malaria Control Programs. RESEARCH INVENTION JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES 5(3):36-46. https://doi.org/10.59298/RIJSES/2025/5313646