Big data - a potent weapon in fight against malaria menace

The emergence of multidrug resistance, including resistance to artemisinin and partner drugs, is a public health concern threatening the sustainability of the ongoing global efforts to reduce the burden of malaria. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were an estimated 219 million cases and 435,000 Malaria-related deaths in 2017. WHO's World malaria report 2018 shows that after an unprecedented period of success in global malaria control, progress has stalled.

A new study conducted by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Telenor Group, Mahidol-Oxford Research Unit and the National Malaria Elimination Programme in Bangladesh has found that combining malaria genetic data with human mobility data from mobile networks can help map and predict the spread of drug-resistant malaria. The development of resistance to drugs poses one of the greatest threats to malaria control and results in increased malaria morbidity and mortality.

The study titled 'Mapping imported malaria in Bangladesh using parasite genetic and human mobility data' combined epidemiological data, travel surveys, parasite genetic data, and anonymised mobile phone data from Telenor's local operations, Grameenphone to measure the geographic spread of different types of malaria parasites in southeast Bangladesh, including drug-resistant mutations.

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"The study proves that we have a potent weapon at our disposal in the fight against malaria – Big Data. When used in tandem with disease information from local authorities, anonymised mobile network data shows us very accurately whether drug-resistant mutations of malaria parasites spread locally or if they came from outside the local area," says Kenth Engø-Monsen, Senior Research Scientist, Telenor Research.

Technology has redefined almost every sector ranging from economy to governance, education to healthcare, agriculture to transport and from industries to work-force. The study shows how technology can be leveraged for social good. It points to the importance of data integration and analytics with disease genetic data as effective resources for malaria elimination. Big Data is a valuable asset in the age of digitalization. All major emerging technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, the Internet of Things etc. use big data to bring enhancements and advancements to their solutions.

The study funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Institutes of Health aimed to help local health authorities track and contain this emerging threat to health in Southeast Asia.

(With inputs from Telenor press release)