In many malaria interventions, field teams still rely on broad strategies like spraying large areas and distributing nets widely. But what if malaria control could  become predictive instead of reactive?

For Mary Yeboah, the future of malaria control in Africa lies at the intersection of data, drones and artificial intelligence.

A HealthTech specialist with a background in public health management, Mary works on innovative tools that help malaria programs identify mosquito breeding sites more precisely and deploy interventions more efficiently. Through high-resolution drone mapping and AI-driven environmental analysis, her work aims to make malaria risk visible, measurable, and actionable.

In this edition of #VoicesFromTheField, she explains how technology could transform the way malaria interventions are designed and implemented across Africa.

 

From broad interventions to precision malaria control

“Malaria control has traditionally relied on broad interventions. What drone and AI technology changes is precision.” says Mary.

Using drones, her team maps water bodies in high resolution. Artificial intelligence then analyzes environmental patterns to determine which sites are most likely to become mosquito breeding grounds. Instead of treating entire areas blindly, interventions can target the highest-risk locations.

The technology also guides field teams directly to those sites.

“We use optimized navigation tools that guide sprayers directly to identified breeding sites. It saves time, reduces operational costs, and makes interventions much more efficient.”

 

In one operational site in Ghana, the impact of this approach quickly became visible.

Before deploying drones, larval source management teams were manually surveying large areas, a process that was slow and resource-intensive. Then the aerial mapping revealed something important.

“We discovered hidden and hard-to-reach stagnant water bodies that had been missed during ground surveys.”

Once the data was processed through AI models, the team could prioritize the sites most likely to produce mosquitoes and direct spraying teams precisely where they were needed.

Technology is not replacing health workers

Despite the promise of new technologies, Mary says one misconception persists.

“The biggest misconception is that AI and drones will replace health workers. In reality, these tools are designed to support frontline teams, not replace them. Technology strengthens human judgment. It gives health workers better data so they can make better decisions.”

Introducing drones into malaria interventions can also raise questions. When Mary first presented the technology to health authorities and communities, reactions were mixed.

“At first there was curiosity, but also skepticism.”

Authorities wanted to understand the practical implications: Is it cost-effective? Can it integrate with national malaria systems? Is it sustainable?

Communities, meanwhile, were often fascinated, especially when they saw drones flying overhead for the first time.

“Through transparency and engagement with local leaders, skepticism gradually turned into collaboration.”

What governments could do differently

If governments want innovations like this to scale, Mary believes one shift is essential. “We need to move from short-term pilot thinking to long-term system integration.”

That means:

  • Creating budget lines for digital health technologies
  • Investing in local technical capacity
  • Building regulatory frameworks that allow innovations to be integrated into national programs.

 

A young African woman in HealthTech

Working in the technology sector as a young African woman can sometimes mean entering rooms where assumptions are made. So Mary has learned to address that through preparation and confidence.

“There are moments when people underestimate you. But when you bring technical depth and clarity, perceptions change.”

For her, credibility comes with consistent performance.

Making malaria visible

Mary always uses an image to explain her work: “If malaria was visible like the smoke rising from breeding sites, governments would act with even greater urgency. But Mosquitoes are small. Breeding sites are hidden. So the risk often remains invisible. The role of technology is to change that. Our tools make environmental risk visible through mapping and predictive analysis.”

And when decision-makers can see the risk clearly, interventions can become far more effective.

Looking ahead

For Mary, success in the next years would mean malaria control becoming predictive rather than reactive, with interventions guided by data and environmental intelligence. But technology alone is not the goal.

“Success would also mean that African communities trust the innovations serving their health systems, and that those innovations are locally supported and sustainable.”

#VoicesFromTheField is a monthly series by Impact Santé Afrique highlighting the perspectives of leaders, scientists, policymakers and innovators working to advance the fight against malaria in Africa.