Abstract
BackgroundSeasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) is a new strategy to prevent malaria in children under 5 years old. It has been recommended by the World Health Organization since 2012 in malaria-endemic areas with seasonal transmission. This study aimed to assess the changes in malaria indicators through two consecutive years of SMC routine implementation in children under 5 years old in Dangassa, where malaria is endemic with a long and high transmission season.MethodsFrom 2012 to 2016, a cohort study was conducted in Dangassa village. The study team based in the village followed all malaria clinical cases in children under 5 years old at the community health centre. During the study, SMC was routinely implemented in collaboration with the National Malaria Control Programme. The Cox regression model was used in order to compare malaria risk during the study.ResultsThe Cox regression model showed a significant reduction in malaria clinical incidence, both in 2015 (HR = 0.27 (0.18–0.40), 95% CI) and in 2016 (HR = 0.23 (0.15–0.35), 95% CI) of SMC implementation compared to October 2013. Gametocyte and fever prevalence was lower between September and October during SMC implementation (2015 and 2016) compared to the same period before SMC implementation (2013–2014). A slight increase of malaria incidence was observed in December at the end of SMC implementation.ConclusionSMC has significantly reduced both malaria incidence and gametocyte prevalence and improved haemoglobin levels in children under 5 years old after 2 years of routine implementation.
Highlights
Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) is a new strategy to prevent malaria in children under 5 years old
In Mali, SMC is conducted from July to October according the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) recommendation
A decrease of gametocyte prevalence was observed in September (2.4%; p = 0.001) and October (8.8%; p = 0.001) during SMC implementation compared to September and October 2013–2014 (15.2% and 16.6%, respectively)
Summary
Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) is a new strategy to prevent malaria in children under 5 years old It has been recommended by the World Health Organization since 2012 in malaria-endemic areas with seasonal transmission. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently recommended seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) in Konaté et al Malar J (2020) 19:137 children under 5 years old, in additional to key interventions for malaria control in sub-Saharan Africa region. It consists to monthly administration of curative dose of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) + amodiaquine (AQ) during 4 months in areas with highly transmission season [6]. The efficacy of this strategy has been reported in areas where malaria transmission lasts longer only during the SMC period (from July to September) [9], but not after stopped the drug administration in this area where malaria transmission is intense and lasts for 6 consecutive months annually [10]
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