GIS and Remote Sensing-Based Malaria Risk Modeling and Mapping: A Case Study of Dibrugarh District, Assam, India

Malaria is a mosquito borne disease that is considered as a serious public health problem affecting millions of people all over the world, specifically in tropical and subtropical regions. The disease is caused by Plasmodium and is transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes. In the present study mapping of malarial risk zone was carried out in Dibrugarh using AHP modeling. Spatial distribution maps of various environmental factors affecting malaria were constructed and were reclassified into five classes. Finally, the weighted overlay analysis was performed to obtain the malaria risk zones. The district was divided into four risk zones viz. low, moderate, high and very high. Of the total geographical area of 3394 km2 around 27% of land was under very high to high risk and around 60% area was under moderate risk. Only 13% area was under low risk of malaria. The identified risk zones based on different parameters and weight age were in accordance with ground reality. Modeling of malaria risk zoning becomes very important tool in getting prior information about the incidence of the disease as well as proper management and planning to mitigate the disease. The prepared malaria-risk map of Dibrugarh can be very useful for public health policy makers to take precautionary steps in vulnerable regions that can control or reduce or prevent the outbreak of malarial incidence.