ABSTRACT
Background: In Pakistan malaria is prevalent in different parts of all the four provinces. The estimated number of annual malaria cases in Pakistan is 1.5 million. The climate of Pakistan is conducive for malarial transmission
Objective: The present study was planned to determine the laboratory surveillance of malaria in Bahawalpur District over a period of five years
Patients and Methods: The present descriptive study was conducted on malarial epidemiology in Bhawalpur region over a period of 5 years from 2007 to 2011. The study was conducted by collecting data from those health facilities where malaria screening was done routinely. Thick and thin smears were taken by the trained personal on glass slides and stained by Giemsa technique. They were then examined microscopically for the diagnosis and specification of malarial parasite. Doubtful samples were sent to consultant haematologists at tertiary level health facilities for confirmation
Results: Annual parasite index was highest in 2007 i.e. 0.091. Slide positivity rate was highest [0.21] in 2007 and dropped [0.01] in 2010. Annual Blood Examination Rate was also highest [4.28] in 2007
Conclusion: Our findings showed that annual blood examination rate, slide positivity rate and annual parasite index continued to drop during the study period