Master’s Degree Awarded to Researcher Qasim Al-Ahmadi with Distinction in Medical Parasitology
Researcher Qasim Ibrahim Ali Ahmed Al-Ahmadi was awarded a Master’s Degree in Medical Parasitology with an average of Excellent and a grade of (95%) for his thesis titled: Epidemiology of Urban Malaria among Febrile Patients in Hodeida City, Yemen, which was submitted to the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences– Sana’a University. The MA defense was held on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
The MA Viva-voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
| # | Committee Members | Designation | Position |
| 1 | Prof. Arwa Mohammed Nasser Othman | Internal Examiner | Chair |
| 2 | Prof. Rashad Ahmed Ali Abdulghani | Main Supervisor | Member |
| 3 | Prof. Abdulilah Hussein Ahmed Al-Adhraei | External Examiner | Member |
The thesis aimed to determine the prevalence of urban malaria and identify the risk factors associated with malaria infection among febrile patients during the malaria transmission season in Hodeida City.
The study produced several significant findings. It revealed that the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria among febrile patients residing in urban areas of Hodeida City was 4.8%, equivalent to approximately one case for every twenty patients. The findings also identified illiteracy and storing water in uncovered containers as independent predictors of malaria infection. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that the proximity of waste disposal sites to residential areas, the presence of discarded tires around homes, and sleeping outdoors at night were all associated with an increased risk of malaria infection.
The researcher recommended conducting community-based studies involving both febrile and non-febrile residents of Hodeida City, with particular emphasis on children under the age of five who had not traveled outside the city’s three districts. The study also emphasized the importance of raising public awareness about the risks of storing water in uncovered containers and the improper disposal of used tires and waste, which provide favorable breeding sites for mosquitoes. In addition, it recommended investigating the potential role of Anopheles stephensi in urban malaria transmission to support the development of more effective malaria control strategies.
The thesis defense was attended by faculty members, researchers, students, and interested participants as well as the researcher’s colleagues and family members.
