Student Research Reports

View Research Report

Mombasa, the second-largest city in Kenya, is experiencing rapid population growth, leading to an increase in slum areas. Tudor Moroto Slum, located strategically within Mombasa Island, is one of the largest and fast-growing slums in the city, which has resulted in major environmental challenges such as poor waste management, shortage of water, and poor sanitation. This increase in population has contributed to the encroachment into the shoreline, with extensive growth of shanty structures. This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of poor waste management on the breeding of mosquitoes in the area, identify the species of mosquito and investigate their effect on the population of Tudor Moroto slum. The study found that Aedes mosquitoes largely breed in the waste found in Tudor Moroto Slum and that there were 145 positive cases of dengue fever recorded between January 2022 and February 2023. The study's results will contribute to the understanding of mosquito species within the area and the pathogens they may carry and inform the local community and government when an outbreak of diseases is likely to occur and the most effective control measures. The study recommends that the County Government in collaboration with the local community should come up with a sustainable waste management system, policies that regulate the use and disposal of single-use plastic bottles and containers, create industries that will help in reusing, recycling and reducing plastics, carry out awareness campaigns, and improve environmental management, including developing better drainage and sanitation systems in the slum area to help reduce mosquito breeding sites. Key words: dengue fever, Aedes mosquito