Post-flood malaria prevention: protecting kids and communities from severe flooding impacts
Official title: After the flood: Optimal strategies to prevent malaria epidemics caused by severe flooding
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11617037 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in rural Uganda will test a malaria prevention plan after severe floods to see if giving a preventive medicine to children and using larval controls can lower malaria cases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 8, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $71,268 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI173558-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11617037 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children ≤12 years old and nearby community members in rural western Uganda who experience seasonal or severe flooding.
✕Less likely to help
Some individuals may not experience malaria or may not benefit from the specific timing or components of the intervention.
What this research studies
This project builds on a prior pilot showing a big drop in malaria after a post‑flood intervention. It will test two approaches—chemoprevention with and without peri-domestic larval source management—in 50 villages across 144 clusters to see which lowers malaria incidence after floods. The study uses a cluster randomized design to reflect real-world community implementation and aims to keep malaria transmission low during the period when mosquitoes are re-establishing habitats. Participants will include children up to age 12 and the surrounding community in rural western Uganda, with outcomes measured over the post-flood period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could reduce malaria cases after floods and help communities remain healthier during climate-related weather events.
How similar studies have gone: A prior pilot in western Uganda showed a 53% reduction in malaria incidence after a post-flood intervention.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boyce, Ross Mathew — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Boyce, Ross Mathew
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.