Application of a linear programming model to the control of African trypanosomiasis

A linear programming (LP) model was designed to evaluate trypanosomiasis control activities in south-western Ethiopia. The objectives included maximizing net benefits, utilization of unskilled labor, and resettlement of reclaimed land, and decreasing the prevalence of trypanosomiasis from 20% to less than 5% at the end of 5 years, subject to epidemiological, ecological and economic constraints. The model was a multiperiod specification with 127 equations and 81 activities for the project period of 5 years. The optimal solution required reclamation of 5221 km² of tsetse infested land and used treatment of cattle at maximal levels. At the end of the project period, the prevalance decreased to 2% with net benefits of E$1.281 million. LP provided a potentially optimal means of resource allocation in the short run and a means of identifying those restrictive resources which could be vital to long range planning.