Assessing the impact of drug resistance and treatment on malaria transmission dynamics

Malaria is an ancient parasitic disease of humans caused by a protozoan of the genus Plasmodium and it is transmitted by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. The model incorporates optimal sequencing (i.e., optimal sequencing of available antimalarial drugs from different classes to achieve the most effective treatment in malaria-endemic regions) and treatment (appropriate proportion of the exposed population that should receive treatment to restrict antimalarial resistance). Optimal sequencing, appropriate use of antimalarial in reducing wide spread of drug resistance, proper preventive measures, and timely medical care are essential in managing and controlling malaria. First, we analyze the state of malaria infection, calculate the baseline reproduction number, and study the local stability of malaria-free equilibrium. Numerical simulations of the malaria model is conducted using MATLAB program to investigate the dynamics of malaria under different scenarios (what if scenarios). The result of our simulations reveal that to effectively control widespread drugs resistance, it is crucial for policymakers to ensure that individuals who become resistant to a particular treatment must be introduced to another form of treatment to confer recovery from infection. This should also be complemented with the WHO-recommended non-pharmaceutical preventive measures.