Exploring Explanatory Model of Malaria in Hill Tracts of Bangladesh: Perspective from Dighinala Upazila

The study shows that the three major communities had different explanatory models of malaria. Though they had many differences and similarities, some beliefs and practices of malarial treatment and prevention in the communities were very much remarkable. It is important for the community health workers/ programme practitioners to understand these aspects and then try to model IEC campaigns for prevention and treatment in a way so that the community can relate it to their everyday experiences. Understanding of the community perspective will also be helpful in identifying the barriers to programme implementation, and design appropriate strategies to overcome these. Thus, instead of a top-down affair, the interventions will be well understood and owned by the community and will be sustainable. [RED Working Paper No. 11]