Malaria Guidelines Research Articles

Immunochromatographic antigen testing alone is sufficient to identify asymptomatic refugees at risk of severe malaria presenting to a single health service in Victoria

Current screening guidelines for malaria in new refugees include a combination of thick and thin film examination and immunochromatographic antigen test (ICT). However, as the prevalence of malaria in our population has decreased due to changing refugee demographics, we sought to determine if an ICT alone can reliably exclude malaria in our asymptomatic refugee population.A retrospective analysis was conducted of all investigations for malaria performed from 1 August 2011 to 31 July 2013, including thick and thin blood film examination, BinaxNOW ICT, and external morphological and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) validation where applicable.Malaria was diagnosed in 45 of 1248 (3.6%) patients investigated, all of whom were symptomatic and the majority (71.1%) returned travellers. All 599 asymptomatic refugees screened were negative. Overall, 42 of 45 malaria cases were detected by the ICT; sensitivity 93.3% (95% CI 80.7-98.3%) and negative predictive value (NPV) 99.8% (99.2-99.9%). All 21 cases of Plasmodium falciparum and 20 of 22 cases of Plasmodium vivax were detected, giving a sensitivity of 100% (80.8-100%) and 90.9% (69.4-98.4%) respectively. Too few cases of Plasmodium malariae and no cases of Plasmodium ovale or Plasmodium knowlesi were diagnosed for adequate assessment to be carried out.These data suggest that full malaria screening in all asymptomatic refugees with the combination of thick and thin blood films and rapid antigen test may not be warranted. Alternative screening approaches should be considered, including the use of ICT alone, or limiting screening of asymptomatic refugees to only those originating from countries with high incidence of malaria.

Malaria diagnostic capacity in health facilities in Ethiopia.

BackgroundAccurate early diagnosis and prompt treatment is one of the key strategies to control and prevent malaria in Ethiopia where both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are sympatric and require different treatment regimens. Microscopy is the standard for malaria diagnosis at the health centres and hospitals whereas rapid diagnostic tests are used at community-level health posts. The current study was designed to assess malaria microscopy capacity of health facilities in Oromia Regional State and Dire Dawa Administrative City, Ethiopia.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2011 in 122 health facilities, where health professionals were interviewed using a pre-tested, standardized assessment tool and facilities’ laboratory practices were assessed by direct observation.ResultsOf the 122 assessed facilities, 104 (85%) were health centres and 18 (15%) were hospitals. Out of 94 health facilities reportedly performing blood films, only 34 (36%) used both thin and thick smears for malaria diagnosis. The quality of stained slides was graded in 66 health facilities as excellent, good and poor quality in 11(17%), 31 (47%) and 24 (36%) respectively. Quality assurance guidelines and malaria microscopy standard operating procedures were found in only 13 (11%) facilities and 12 (10%) had involved in external quality assessment activities, and 32 (26%) had supportive supervision within six months of the survey. Only seven (6%) facilities reported at least one staff’s participation in malaria microscopy refresher training during the previous 12 months. Although most facilities, 96 (79%), had binocular microscopes, only eight (7%) had the necessary reagents and supplies to perform malaria microscopy. Treatment guidelines for malaria were available in only 38 (31%) of the surveyed facilities. Febrile patients with negative malaria laboratory test results were managed with artemether-lumefantrine or chloroquine in 51% (53/104) of assessed health facilities.ConclusionsThe current study indicated that most of the health facilities had basic infrastructure and equipment to perform malaria laboratory diagnosis but with significant gaps in continuous laboratory supplies and reagents, and lack of training and supportive supervision. Overcoming these gaps will be critical to ensure that malaria laboratory diagnosis is of high-quality for better patient management.

Basic or enhanced clinician training to improve adherence to malaria treatment guidelines: a cluster-randomised trial in two areas of Cameroon.

The scale-up of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) is intended to improve case management of fever and targeting of artemisinin-based combination therapy. Habitual presumptive treatment has hampered these intentions, suggesting a need for strategies to support behaviour change. We aimed to assess the introduction of RDTs when packaged with basic or enhanced clinician training interventions in Cameroon. We did a three-arm, stratified, cluster-randomised trial at 46 public and mission health facilities at two study sites in Cameroon to compare three approaches to malaria diagnosis. Facilities were randomly assigned by a computer program in a 9:19:19 ratio to current practice with microscopy (widely available, used as a control group); RDTs with a basic (1 day) clinician training intervention; or RDTs with an enhanced (3 days) clinician training intervention. Patients (or their carers) and fieldworkers who administered surveys to obtain outcome data were masked to study group assignment. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients treated in accordance with WHO malaria treatment guidelines, which is a composite indicator of whether patients were tested for malaria and given appropriate treatment consistent with the test result. All analyses were by intention to treat. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01350752. The study took place between June 7 and Dec 14, 2011. The analysis included 681 patients from nine facilities in the control group, 1632 patients from 18 facilities in the basic-training group, and 1669 from 19 facilities in the enhanced-training group. The proportion of patients treated in accordance with malaria guidelines did not improve with either intervention; the adjusted risk ratio (RR) for basic training compared with control was 1·04 (95% CI 0·53-2·07; p=0·90), and for enhanced training compared with control was 1·17 (0·61-2·25; p=0·62). Inappropriate use of antimalarial drugs after a negative test was reduced from 84% (201/239) in the control group to 52% (413/796) in the basic-training group (unadjusted RR 0·63, 0·28-1·43; p=0·25) and to 31% (232/759) in the enhanced-training group (0·29, 0·11-0·77; p=0·02). Enhanced clinician training, designed to translate knowledge into prescribing practice and improve quality of care, has the potential to halve overtreatment in public and mission health facilities in Cameroon. Basic training is unlikely to be sufficient to support the behaviour change required for the introduction of RDTs.

Knowledge and perceptions of prescribers regarding adherence to standard treatment guidelines for malaria: a comparative cross-sectional study from Pakistan

Despite the availability of standard treatment guidelines for malaria in Pakistan adherence to protocols by prescribers is poor. This descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed to explore the perceptions and knowledge of prescribers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi cities towards adherence to standard treatment guidelines for malaria. A questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 360 prescribers; 64.7% were satisfied with the available antimalarial drugs and 41.3% agreed that antimalarial drugs should only be prescribed after diagnostic testing. Only half the prescribers had the guidelines available in their health facility. Almost all the prescribers (97.7%) agreed that there was a need for more educational programmes about the guidelines. Most prescribers were unaware of the correct standard treatment regimen for Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax malaria. There were no differences in knowledge between males and females, but prescribers having more experience, practising as general practitioners and working in private health-care facilities possessed significantly better knowledge than their counterparts.

Asymptomatic refugee malaria screening - implications of using a rapid immunochromatographic antigen test only: retrospective analysis of 1248 patients

Background Current screening guidelines for malaria in new refugees include a combination of thick and thin film examination and immunochromatographic antigen test (ICT)1. However, as the prevalence of malaria in our population has decreased due to changing refugee demographics,2,3 an immunochromatographic antigen test (ICT) alone may be sufficient to exclude malaria in asymptomatic patients. Aim To determine if an ICT alone can reliably exclude malaria in our asymptomatic refugee population. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted of all investigations for malaria performed from 01/08/2011 to 31/07/2013, including external morphological and PCR validation where applicable. Results 45 of 1248 (3.6%) patients investigated were diagnosed with malaria, all cases were in symptomatic patients. Overall 42/45 malaria cases were detected by the BinaxNOW ICT; sensitivity (95%CI) 93.3% (80.7-98.3%) and negative predictive value (NPV) 99.8% (99.2-99.9%). All 21 cases of Plasmodium falciparum were detected; sensitivity and NPV of 100% (80.8-100%) and 100% (99.6-100%), respectively. ICT detected 18/20 cases of P. vivax; sensitivity and negative predictive value of 90.9% (69.4%-98.4%) and 99.8% (99.3%-100%), respectively. Too few cases of P. malariae and no cases of P. ovale or P. knowlesis were diagnosed for adequate assessment. Discussion These data suggest that an ICT alone may be sufficient for malaria screening in our asymptomatic refugee population.

Why Hospital Pharmacists Have Failed to Manage Antimalarial Drugs Stock-Outs in Pakistan? A Qualitative Insight

Purpose. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of hospital pharmacists towards drug management and reasons underlying stock-outs of antimalarial drugs in Pakistan. Methods. A qualitative study was designed to explore the perceptions of hospital pharmacists regarding drug management and irrational use of antimalarial drugs in two major cities of Pakistan, namely, Islamabad (national capital) and Rawalpindi (twin city). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 hospital pharmacists using indepth interview guides at a place and time convenient for the respondents. Interviews, which were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim, were evaluated by thematic content analysis and by other authors' analysis. Results. Most of the respondents were of the view that financial constraints, inappropriate drug management, and inadequate funding were the factors contributing toward the problem of antimalarial drug stock-outs in healthcare facilities of Pakistan. The pharmacists anticipated that prescribing by nonproprietary names, training of health professionals, accepted role of hospital pharmacist in drug management, implementation of essential drug list and standard treatment guidelines for malaria in the healthcare system can minimize the problem of drug stock outs in healthcare system of Pakistan. Conclusion. The current study showed that all the respondents in the two cities agreed that hospital pharmacist has failed to play an effective role in efficient management of anti-malarial drugs stock-outs.

The Potential Impact of Improving Appropriate Treatment for Fever on Malaria and Non-Malarial Febrile Illness Management in Under-5s: A Decision-Tree Modelling Approach

BackgroundAs international funding for malaria programmes plateaus, limited resources must be rationally managed for malaria and non-malarial febrile illnesses (NMFI). Given widespread unnecessary treatment of NMFI with first-line antimalarial Artemisinin Combination Therapies (ACTs), our aim was to estimate the effect of health-systems factors on rates of appropriate treatment for fever and on use of ACTs.MethodsA decision-tree tool was developed to investigate the impact of improving aspects of the fever care-pathway and also evaluate the impact in Tanzania of the revised WHO malaria guidelines advocating diagnostic-led managementResultsModel outputs using baseline parameters suggest 49% malaria cases attending a clinic would receive ACTs (95% Uncertainty Interval:40.6–59.2%) but that 44% (95% UI:35–54.8%) NMFI cases would also receive ACTs. Provision of 100% ACT stock predicted a 28.9% increase in malaria cases treated with ACT, but also an increase in overtreatment of NMFI, with 70% NMFI cases (95% UI:56.4–79.2%) projected to receive ACTs, and thus an overall 13% reduction (95% UI:5–21.6%) in correct management of febrile cases. Modelling increased availability or use of diagnostics had little effect on malaria management outputs, but may significantly reduce NMFI overtreatment. The model predicts the early rollout of revised WHO guidelines in Tanzania may have led to a 35% decrease (95% UI:31.2–39.8%) in NMFI overtreatment, but also a 19.5% reduction (95% UI:11–27.2%), in malaria cases receiving ACTs, due to a potential fourfold decrease in cases that were untested or tested false-negative (42.5% vs.8.9%) and so untreated.DiscussionModelling multi-pronged intervention strategies proved most effective to improve malaria treatment without increasing NMFI overtreatment. As malaria transmission declines, health system interventions must be guided by whether the management priority is an increase in malaria cases receiving ACTs (reducing the treatment gap), reducing ACT waste through unnecessary treatment of NMFI or expanding appropriate treatment of all febrile illness.

The importance of standard treatment guidelines in paediatric practice in Africa.

The under-five-mortality rate (U5MR), as a robust child health indicator, is 109 per 1000 live births in Africa, of which infectious diseases comprise the bulk of paediatric disease.1 The U5MR exceeds 100/1000 live births in 24 countries, of which 23 are in sub-Saharan Africa.2 The major causes of death include pneumonia (18%), malaria (17%), diarrhoea (12%) and the human immunodeficiency virus (3%).3 Fortunately there has been progress, with a reduction in the U5MR, since 1990 in six African countries, namely Ethiopia, Rwanda, Liberia, Malawi, Niger and Madagascar.2 To improve the survival of children in sub-Saharan Africa it is important to implement interventions that will reduce the U5MR. An important intervention in the management of common infections is the implementation of and strict adherence to standard treatment guidelines. This has been proven to reduce both morbidity and mortality rates for pneumonia in adults.4,5 Similar adherence has also been proven to reduce in-hospitality mortality for children suffering from malaria.6 The additional benefit of adherence to standard treatment guidelines is that it is a cost-saving tool for hospitals.7 This issue reports on the adherence to standard treatment guidelines introduced by Medecin Sans Frontieres (MSF) in two sub-Saharan African countries, with different findings. The two countries are Sierre Leone, with an U5MR of 185/1000 live births and Somalia with an U5MR of 180/1000 live births, both members of the 24 countries exceeding the U5MR of 100/1000 live births. De Bruycker et al. report on non-adherence to standard treatment guidelines for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) and malaria for hospitalised children in rural Sierra Leone.8 Non-adherence was more common for LRTI (cumulative 86%) than for malaria (12%). Non-adherence was, furthermore, significantly associated with unfavourable hospital outcome for both LRTI and malaria. Of note is the difference in non-adherence to guidelines for the two diseases. This is probably linked to the complexity of the guidelines for the disease, where the guidelines for malaria are standardised, with fewer drug options, than LRTI, which has more complex drug options. Ngoy et al., on the other hand, report a low adverse outcome of only 6% for their paediatric in-patient study population in Somalia, a conflict-torn country.9 The possible reasons for the low adverse outcome include adherence to guidelines standardised by MSF, as well as provision of all health services free of charge by aid organisations. Other reasons include the training of staff and the provision of a telemedicine service for continuing medical support. This achievement is of great importance in the face of very limited numbers of health care staff for the case load. Both studies add important findings to the literature on strategies to address Millennium Development Goal 4 in sub-Saharan Africa. Key findings include the improved outcome of hospitalised children if there is good adherence to guidelines and training of health care staff in the implementation of these guidelines. It is also important to regularly monitor the adherence to standard treatment guidelines in hospitals to ensure rational drug use and that adherence is maintained. It is encouraging to note this can be achieved even in conflict-stricken countries.

PHS70 - Knowledge and perceptions of prescribers regarding adherence to standard treatment guidelines for malaria. A threat to rational treatment practices for malaria in Pakistan

PHS70 - Knowledge and perceptions of prescribers regarding adherence to standard treatment guidelines for malaria. A threat to rational treatment practices for malaria in Pakistan

Case management of malaria fever at community pharmacies in Pakistan: a threat to rational drug use.

To document the case management of uncomplicated malaria fever at community pharmacies located in the two major cities of Pakistan; Islamabad (national capital) and Rawalpindi (twin city). A comparative, cross-sectional study was designed to document the management of uncomplicated malaria fever at community pharmacies in twin cities of Pakistan through simulated patient visits. Visits were conducted in 238 randomly selected pharmacies to request advice for a simulated patient case of malaria. The pharmacy's management was scored on a checklist including history taking and provision of advice and information. Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare management of uncomplicated malaria fever by different types of dispensers working at community pharmacies situated at different locations in the twin cities. The simulated patients were handled by salesmen (74.8%, n=178), pharmacist (5.4%, n=13) and diploma holders (19.8 %, n=47). Medication was dispensed in 83.1 % (n=198) of the visits, but only few of the treated cases were in accordance to standard treatment guidelines for malaria. However, in 14.8% (n=35) of the cases the simulated patients were directly referred to a physician. There was a significant difference observed in the process of history taking performed by different dispensers (e.g. pharmacist, pharmacy assistant, pharmacy diploma holders and salesman) while no significant differences in the provision of advice by these dispensers was observed. Pharmacists were seen more frequently involved in the process of history taking if available at the community pharmacies. On the other hand, no significant differences were observed in the case management (history taking and provision of advice) for the treatment of malaria fever among community pharmacies situated at different locations (e.g. near hospital/super market/small market) in the twin cities. The results of the study revealed that the overall process of disease management of uncomplicated malaria fever at community pharmacies was not in accordance with the national standard treatment guidelines for malaria. Patients were being treated by untrained personnel's at community pharmacies without any understanding of referral. However, pharmacists were more frequently involved in history taking, though their availability was low at community pharmacies.

Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of a Mobile Phone Text-Message Reminder Programmes to Improve Health Workers' Adherence to Malaria Guidelines in Kenya

BackgroundSimple interventions for improving health workers' adherence to malaria case-management guidelines are urgently required across Africa. A recent trial in Kenya showed that text-message reminders sent to health workers' mobile phones improved management of pediatric outpatients by 25 percentage points. In this paper we examine costs and cost-effectiveness of this intervention.Methods/FindingsWe evaluate costs and cost-effectiveness in 2010 USD under three implementation scenarios: (1) as implemented under study conditions in study areas; (2) if the intervention was routinely implemented by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in the same areas; and (3) if the intervention was scaled up nationally. Under study conditions, intervention costs were 19,342 USD, of which 45% were for developing and pretesting text-messages, 12% for developing text-message distribution system, 29% for collecting health workers' phone numbers, and 13% were costs of sending text-messages and monitoring of the system. If the intervention was implemented in the same areas by the MoH, the costs would be 28% lower (13,920 USD) due to lower costs of collecting health workers' numbers. The cost of national scale-up would be 97,350 USD, and the majority of these costs (66%) would be for sending text-messages. The cost per additional child correctly managed was 0.50 USD under study conditions, 0.36 USD if implemented by the MoH in the same area, and estimated at only 0.03 USD if implemented nationally. Even if the effect size was only 5% or the cost on the national scale was 400% higher than estimated, the cost per additional child correctly managed would be only 0.16 USD.ConclusionsA simple text-messaging intervention improving health worker adherence to malaria guidelines is effective and inexpensive. Further research is justified to optimize delivery of the intervention and expand targets beyond children and malaria disease.

Actualización en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la malaria

An increase in the cases of malaria in our country has been observed due to immigration, and adopted children. Malaria management requires an integrate approach, including prompt diagnoses and treatment to avoid the associated morbidity and mortality. In the last years, new recommendations have been introduced due to the appearance of new resistant areas. In this article we aim to provide a summary of the key recommendations following the main malaria guidelines (WHO and CDC).

A cost-effectiveness analysis of provider and community interventions to improve the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Nigeria: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThere is mounting evidence of poor adherence by health service personnel to clinical guidelines for malaria following a symptomatic diagnosis. In response to this, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that in all settings clinical suspicion of malaria should be confirmed by parasitological diagnosis using microscopy or Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT). The Government of Nigeria plans to introduce RDTs in public health facilities over the coming year. In this context, we will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of two interventions designed to support the roll-out of RDTs and improve the rational use of ACTs. It is feared that without supporting interventions, non-adherence will remain a serious impediment to implementing malaria treatment guidelines.Methods/designA three-arm stratified cluster randomized trial is used to compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of: (1) provider malaria training intervention versus expected standard practice in malaria diagnosis and treatment; (2) provider malaria training intervention plus school-based intervention versus expected standard practice; and (3) the combined provider plus school-based intervention versus provider intervention alone. RDTs will be introduced in all arms of the trial. The primary outcome is the proportion of patients attending facilities that report a fever or suspected malaria and receive treatment according to malaria guidelines. This will be measured by surveying patients (or caregivers) as they exit primary health centers, pharmacies, and patent medicine dealers. Cost-effectiveness will be presented in terms of the primary outcome and a range of secondary outcomes, including changes in provider and community knowledge. Costs will be estimated from both a societal and provider perspective using standard economic evaluation methodologies.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT01350752

A cost-effectiveness analysis of provider interventions to improve health worker practice in providing treatment for uncomplicated malaria in Cameroon: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundGovernments and donors all over Africa are searching for sustainable, affordable and cost-effective ways to improve the quality of malaria case management. Widespread deficiencies have been reported in the prescribing and counselling practices of health care providers treating febrile patients in both public and private health facilities. Cameroon is no exception with low levels of adherence to national guidelines, the frequent selection of non-recommended antimalarials and the use of incorrect dosages. This study evaluates the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of introducing two different provider training packages, alongside rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), designed to equip providers with the knowledge and practical skills needed to effectively diagnose and treat febrile patients. The overall aim is to target antimalarial treatment better and to facilitate optimal use of malaria treatment guidelines.Methods/DesignA 3-arm stratified, cluster randomized trial will be conducted to assess whether introducing RDTs with provider training (basic or enhanced) is more cost-effective than current practice without RDTs, and whether there is a difference in the cost effectiveness of the provider training interventions. The primary outcome is the proportion of patients attending facilities that report a fever or suspected malaria and receive treatment according to malaria guidelines. This will be measured by surveying patients (or caregivers) as they exit public and mission health facilities. Cost-effectiveness will be presented in terms of the primary outcome and a range of secondary outcomes, including changes in provider knowledge. Costs will be estimated from a societal and provider perspective using standard economic evaluation methodologies.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00981877

Management of uncomplicated malaria in children under 13 years of age at a district hospital in senegal: from official guidelines to usual practices

BackgroundTo be effective, national malaria guidelines must be properly followed. This study evaluated nurses' practices in the management of uncomplicated malaria cases at a District Hospital. Its objective was to identify the reasons for discrepancies between official guidelines and usual practices.MethodsThis study took place at Oussouye hospital, south-western Senegal. Blood smears were available for biological diagnosis in patients aged more than five years while the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness recommended treating fevers presumptively in children under five. First line anti-malarial was Amodiaquine plus sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (AQ+SP) bi-therapy. Hospital records of children under 13 years of age seen between 2004 and 2005 were reviewed.ResultsAmong children treated with anti-malarials, 74% (2, 063/2, 789) received AQ+SP. However, only 22% (406/1, 879) of febrile children and 19% (429/2, 198) of children diagnosed with malaria got a blood smear. Moreover, an anti-malarial was prescribed for 80% (377/474) of children with a negative blood smear.ConclusionsThe transition from chloroquine to AQ+SP was well followed. Nonetheless, blood smear use was very low and many over-prescriptions were reported. Reasons for discrepancies between guidelines and practices can be classified in three main categories: ambiguous guidelines, health system's dysfunctions and nurses' own considerations. Aside from the strengthening of the public health system, in order to guarantee practices complying with guidelines, training content should be more adapted to nurses' own considerations.

Knowledge and malaria treatment practices using artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) in Malawi: survey of health professionals

BackgroundMalaria still remains a life-threatening disease worldwide causing between 190 and 311 million cases of malaria in 2008. Due to increased resistance to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), the Ministry of Health in Malawi, as in many sub-Saharan African countries, changed the malaria treatment policy to use artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). In order to optimize the correct use of this drug, and protect against the development of the parasite's resistance, it is important to assess the knowledge and practices of medical practitioners on the use of ACT and its impact on adherence to new treatment policy guidelines.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the knowledge and perceptions of Malawian medical doctors and pharmacists on the use of ACT and the drivers of treatment choice and clinical treatment decisions. Medical doctors and pharmacists who are involved in managing malaria patients in Malawi were recruited and a self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographic characteristics of the study participants, knowledge on ACT, source of information on ACT and methods used to decide on the treatment of patients with malaria.ResultsMost of the participants (95.7%) know at least one form of ACT, 67.4% reported that different forms of ACT have different characteristics, 77.3% reported that there are special formulations for children. The most commonly mentioned ACT was artemether-lumefantrine (AL), by 94.6% of the participants and 75.0% of the participants indicated that they prefer to prescribe AL. 73.9% of participants had ever received information on ACT. However, only 31.5% had received training on management of malaria using ACT. There were 71.7% respondents who had heard of ACT causing side effects. Only 25.0% of the participants had received training on how to report SAEs.ConclusionIt was found that most of the participants know about ACT and treatment guidelines for malaria. However, most of the participants have not received any training on how to use ACT and how to report adverse effects arising from the use of ACT. There is need for more training of health care professionals to ensure correct and effective use of ACT.

Malaria and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme

Malaria is a major vector borne disease in India with significant morbidity and mortality. The official figure of 1.5 million cases annually is a gross under-estimation of the true incidence and the actual figures are estimated to be 10-100 times higher. The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) directorate is the main body responsible for malaria control in India. Newer strategies including insecticide treated bednets, longlasting insecticidal bednets and rapid diagnostic tests have been used for malaria control in the last decade. Global assistance has come from the World Bank and Global fund in the form of Enhanced Malaria Control Programme(EMCP) and Intensified Malaria Control Programme(IMCP) respectively. Despite years of concerted global and national efforts, control of malaria continues to be a challenge. The emergence of drug resistance to anti-malarial drugs has been a major hurdle in its control. The NVBDCP has formulated new treatment guidelines for malaria in 2010 which recommend artemisinin based combination therapy (ACT) as the first-line drugs for P. falciparum malaria in the country. The article discusses the recent national drug policy for malaria and the rationale for its use.

Prevalence of hypoglycemia among severe malaria children in a rural African population

Objective To determine the prevalence of hypoglycemia in severe malaria children in a rural African community. Methods Thirty two children who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited for the study from two hospitals with intensive care facilities. Blood sugar levels of the patients were monitored serially at admission and then every 4 hours (after admission) for 24 hours using a glucometer; taking values <2.2 mmol/L as hypoglycemia. The children received intensive care according to WHO guidelines for severe malaria. Results Fifteen out of 32 children recruited (representing 46.9%) had hypoglycemia with about 60% under 5 years of age. The mean age of the children was (4.49±2.89) years. The pre-correction and average post correction blood glucose levels were (2.04±0.13) mmol/L and (3.18±0.23) mmol/L, respectively. Conclusions The result has demonstrated that about 1 in 2 children with severe malaria may suffer from hypoglycemia in an African rural environment hence there is a need for at least three-point glucose estimation (at recruitment, 4 hours following correction and the end of the 24 hours).

Exploring provider and community responses to the new malaria diagnostic and treatment regime in Solomon Islands

BackgroundImprovements in availability and accessibility of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for malaria treatment and the emergence of multi-drug-resistant parasites have prompted many countries to adopt ACT as the first-line drug. In 2009, Solomon Islands (SI) likewise implemented new national treatment guidelines for malaria. The ACT, Coartem® (artemether-lumefantrine) is now the primary pharmacotherapy in SI for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, Plasmodium vivax malaria or mixed infections. Targeted treatment is also recommended in the new treatment regime through maintenance of quality microscopy services and the introduction of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs). Ascertaining the factors that influence community and provider acceptance of and adherence to the new treatment regime will be vital to improving the effectiveness of this intervention and reducing the risk of development of drug resistance.MethodsIn order to understand community and prescriber perceptions and acceptability of the new diagnostic and treatment interventions, 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 12 key informant interviews (KII) were carried out in rural and urban villages of Malaita Province, Solomon Islands four months subsequent to roll out of these interventions.ResultsLack of access to microscopy or distrust in the accuracy of diagnostic tools were reported by some participants as reasons for the ongoing practice of presumptive treatment of malaria. Lack of confidence in RDT accuracy has negatively impacted its acceptability. Coartem® had good acceptability among most participants, however, some rural participants questioned its effectiveness due to lack of side effects and the larger quantity of tablets required to be taken. Storing of left over medication for subsequent fever episodes was reported as common.ConclusionTo address these issues, further training and supportive supervision of healthcare workers will be essential, as will the engagement of influential community members in health promotion activities to improve acceptability of RDTs and adherence to the new treatment regime. Exploring the extent of these issues beyond the study population must be a priority for malaria programme managers. Practices such as presumptive treatment and the taking of sub-curative doses are of considerable concern for both the health of individuals and the increased risk it poses to the development of parasite resistance to this important first-line treatment against malaria.

Laboratory malaria diagnostic capacity in health facilities in five administrative zones of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Quality laboratory services are a requisite to guide rational case management of malaria. Using a pre-tested, standardized assessment tool, we assessed laboratory diagnostic capacity in 69 primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities as well as specialized laboratories in five administrative zones in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, during February and March 2009. There was marked variability in laboratory diagnostic capacity among the facilities assessed. Of 69 facilities surveyed, 53 provided both comprehensive malaria laboratory diagnosis and outpatient treatment services, five provided malaria microscopy services (referring elsewhere for treatment), and 11 primary care health posts provided rapid diagnostic testing and outpatient malaria treatment. The facilities' median catchment population was 39, 562 and 3581 people for secondary/tertiary and primary health facilities, respectively. Depending on facility type, facilities provided services 24 hrs a day, had inpatient capacity, and access to water and electricity. Facilities were staffed by general practitioners, health officers, nurses or health extension workers. Of the 58 facilities providing laboratory services, 24% of the 159 laboratory staff had received malaria microscopy training in the year prior to this survey, and 72% of the facilities had at least one functional electric binocular microscope. Facilities had variable levels of equipment, materials and biosafety procedures necessary for laboratory diagnosis of malaria. The mean monthly number of malaria blood films processed at secondary/tertiary facilities was 225, with a mean monthly 56 confirmed parasitologically. In primary facilities, the mean monthly number of clinical malaria cases seen was 75, of which 57 were tested by rapid diagnostic test (RDTs). None of the surveyed laboratory facilities had formal quality assurance/quality control protocols for either microscopy or RDTs. This is the first published report on malaria diagnostic capacity in Ethiopia. While our assessment indicated that malaria laboratory diagnosis was available in most facilities surveyed, we observed significant gaps in laboratory services which could significantly impact quality and accessibility of malaria diagnosis, including laboratory infrastructure, equipment, laboratory supplies and human resources.