BACKGROUND: The Demographic Surveillance System established in 1962 in Niakhar, Senegal, is the oldest in Africa. Here, we analyze trends in overall child mortality, malaria, and other causes of death in Niakhar from the beginning of data collection to 2010. METHODS: After an initial census, demographic data were updated yearly from 1963 through 2010. From 1984, causes of death were determined by the verbal autopsy technique. RESULTS: During 1963-2010, infant and under-5 mortality rates decreased from 223‰ to 18‰ and from 485‰ to 41‰, respectively. The decrease was progressive during the entire observation period, except during 1990-2000, when a plateau and then an increase was observed. Malaria-attributable mortality in under-5 children decreased from 13.5‰ deaths per 1000 children per year during 1992-1999 to 2.2‰ deaths per 1000 children per year in 2010. During this period, all-cause mortality among children aged <5 years decreased by 80%. CONCLUSIONS: Inadequate treatment for chloroquine-resistant malaria and an epidemic of meningitis during the 1990s were the 2 factors that interrupted a continuous decrease in child mortality. Direct and indirect effects of new malaria-control policies, introduced in 2003 and completed during 2006-2008, are likely to have been the key cause of the recent dramatic decrease in child mortality.
BACKGROUND: The Demographic Surveillance System established in 1962 in Niakhar, Senegal, is the oldest in Africa. Here, we analyze trends in overall child mortality, malaria, and other causes of death in Niakhar from the beginning of data collection to 2010. METHODS: After an initial census, demographic data were updated yearly from 1963 through 2010. From 1984, causes of death were determined by the verbal autopsy technique. RESULTS: During 1963-2010, infant and under-5 mortality rates decreased from 223‰ to 18‰ and from 485‰ to 41‰, respectively. The decrease was progressive during the entire observation period, except during 1990-2000, when a plateau and then an increase was observed. Malaria-attributable mortality in under-5 children decreased from 13.5‰ deaths per 1000 children per year during 1992-1999 to 2.2‰ deaths per 1000 children per year in 2010. During this period, all-cause mortality among children aged <5 years decreased by 80%. CONCLUSIONS: Inadequate treatment for chloroquine-resistant malaria and an epidemic of meningitis during the 1990s were the 2 factors that interrupted a continuous decrease in child mortality. Direct and indirect effects of new malaria-control policies, introduced in 2003 and completed during 2006-2008, are likely to have been the key cause of the recent dramatic decrease in child mortality.
Authors: Amir Attaran; Karen I Barnes; Christopher Curtis; Umberto d'Alessandro; Caterina I Fanello; Mary R Galinski; Gilbert Kokwaro; Sornchai Looareesuwan; Michael Makanga; Theonest K Mutabingwa; Ambrose Talisuna; Jean François Trape; William M Watkins Journal: Lancet Date: 2004-01-17 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: P L Alonso; S W Lindsay; J R Armstrong; M Conteh; A G Hill; P H David; G Fegan; A de Francisco; A J Hall; F C Shenton Journal: Lancet Date: 1991-06-22 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Grant Mackenzie; Serign J Ceesay; Philip C Hill; Michael Walther; Kalifa A Bojang; Judith Satoguina; Godwin Enwere; Umberto D'Alessandro; Debasish Saha; Usman N A Ikumapayi; Tim O'Dempsey; David C W Mabey; Tumani Corrah; David J Conway; Richard A Adegbola; Brian M Greenwood Journal: PLoS One Date: 2010-05-11 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Achuyt Bhattarai; Abdullah S Ali; S Patrick Kachur; Andreas Mårtensson; Ali K Abbas; Rashid Khatib; Abdul-Wahiyd Al-Mafazy; Mahdi Ramsan; Guida Rotllant; Jan F Gerstenmaier; Fabrizio Molteni; Salim Abdulla; Scott M Montgomery; Akira Kaneko; Anders Björkman Journal: PLoS Med Date: 2007-11-06 Impact factor: 11.069
Authors: Amélé N Wotodjo; Nafissatou Diagne; Jean Gaudart; Vincent Richard; Didier Raoult; Cheikh Sokhna Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2015-01-12 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Victor A Mobegi; Kovana M Loua; Ambroise D Ahouidi; Judith Satoguina; Davis C Nwakanma; Alfred Amambua-Ngwa; David J Conway Journal: Malar J Date: 2012-07-03 Impact factor: 2.979