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Access to Artemisinin-Based Anti-Malarial Treatment and Its Related Factors in Rural Tanzania
(2013-05) Khatib, Rashid A.; Selemani, Majige; Mrisho, Gumi A.; Masanja, Irene M.; Amuri, Mbaraka; Njozi, Mustafa; Dan, Kajungu; Kuepfer, Irene; Abdulla, Salim; De Savigny, Don
Background Artemisinin-based combination treatment (ACT) has been widely adopted as one of the main malaria control strategies. However, its promise to save thousands of lives in sub-Saharan Africa depends on how effective the use of ACT is within the routine health system. The INESS platform evaluated effective coverage of ACT in several African countries. Timely access within 24 hours to an authorized ACT outlet is one of the determinants of effective coverage and was assessed for artemether-lumefantrine (Alu), in two district health systems in rural Tanzania. Methods From October 2009 to June 2011we conducted continuous rolling household surveys in the Kilombero-Ulanga and the Rufiji Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites (HDSS). Surveys were linked to the routine HDSS update rounds. Members of randomly pre-selected households that had experienced a fever episode in the previous two weeks were eligible for a structured interview. Data on individual treatment seeking, access to treatment, timing, source of treatment and household costs per episode were collected. Data are presented on timely access from a total of 2,112 interviews in relation to demographics, seasonality, and socio economic status. Results In Kilombero-Ulanga, 41.8% (CI: 36.6–45.1) and in Rufiji 36.8% (33.7–40.1) of fever cases had access to an authorized ACT provider within 24 hours of fever onset. In neither of the HDSS site was age, sex, socio-economic status or seasonality of malaria found to be significantly correlated with timely access. Conclusion Timely access to authorized ACT providers is below 50% despite interventions intended to improve access such as social marketing and accreditation of private dispensing outlets. To improve prompt diagnosis and treatment, access remains a major bottle neck and new more innovative interventions are needed to raise effective coverage of malaria treatment in Tanzania.
Challenges in Establishing A Cohort-Event Monitoring Drug Safety Study in Ifakara And Rufiji HDSS
(2011-08) Amuri, Mbaraka; Kigahe, Brown; Njozi, Mustafa; Masanja, Irene M.; Selemani, Majige; Dan, Kajungu; Khatib, Rashid A.; Adounvo, Sharon A.; Abdulla, Salim; Binka, Fred; Dodoo, Alexander
The recommended artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) for treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Tanzania is artemether-lumefantrine (AL). Although Artemisinin and its derivatives are generally thought to be safe, there is currently little or no data on its safety among populations in Tanzania. In view of this INESS established a phase IV study to evaluate safety of AL through comprehensive pharmacovigilance in large populations with the aim of documenting rare adverse drug reactions and to characterize known effects in ‘real-life’. The methodology employed is cohort event monitoring which is observational, longitudinal and prospective. Patients with diagnosis of malaria for whom AL was prescribed were recruited into the cohort from four health facilities in each HDSS. Information on demographics, use of all medicines, mode of diagnosis of malaria, presenting signs and symptoms, co-diagnoses, events suspected as adverse drug reactions, reasons for stopping the drug and cause of death (if any) were collected using standardized questionnaire. They were followed up on 7 to 10 days after AL was dispensed. This report is on the number recruited so far and the challenges in getting the cohort going. 9028 patients were recruited. 9016 (99.8%) completed follow-up on day 7, of which 668 (7.4%) were done by telephone calls. 12 (0.13%) were lost during follow-up. The main challenges encountered are getting enough trained staff to recruit and follow up patients since CEM is quite labour intensive. 38 health providers and 10 field workers were recruited and offered the relevant training in collaboration with regulatory authorities. This helped to overcome the human resource challenge. Another challenge involved is the difficult to reach areas which are cut off especially during the rainy season. Follow up by telephone was adopted for these areas and this helped to reduce number of lost to follow-up. Setting up a cohort event monitoring program takes time and is demanding in terms of human resource. Training is very important in overcoming this. Involvement of all stakeholders and sponsors is a key to success
Friend or Foe? Private Sector Sales of Anti-Malarial Drugs in Rural Tanzania
(2005) Goodman, Catherine; Kachur, Patrick S.; Abdulla, Salim; Mwageni, Eleuther; Nyoni, Joyce E.; Schellenburg, J.; Mills, A.; Bloland, Peter
Health Worker Factors Associated With Prescribing of Artemisinin Combination Therapy for Uncomplicated Malaria in Rural Tanzania
(2013-09) Selemani, Majige; Masanja, Irene M.; Dan, Kajungu; Amuri, Mbaraka; Njozi, Mustafa; Khatib, Rashid A.; Abdulla, Salim; De Savigny, Don
Improving malaria case management is partially dependent on health worker compliance with clinical guidelines. This study assessed health worker factors associated with correct anti-malarial prescribing practices at two sites in rural Tanzania. Repeated cross-sectional health facility surveys were conducted during high and low malaria transmission seasons in 2010 and collected information on patient consultations and health worker characteristics. Using logistic regression, the study assessed health worker factors associated with correct prescription for uncomplicated malaria defined as prescription of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for patients with fever and Plasmodium falciparum asexual infection based on blood slide or malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) according to national treatment guidelines. The analysis included 685 patients with uncomplicated malaria who were seen in a health facility with ACT in stock, and 71 health workers practicing in 30 health facilities. Overall, 58% of malaria patients were correctly treated with ACT. Health workers with three or more years' work experience were significantly more likely than others to prescribe correctly (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-7.1; p = 0.019). Clinical officers (aOR 2.2; 95% CI 1.1-4.5; p = 0.037), and nurse aide or lower cadre (aOR 3.1; 95% CI 1.3-7.1; p = 0.009) were more likely to correctly prescribe ACT than medical officers. Training on ACT use, supervision visits, and availability of job aids were not significantly associated with correct prescription. Years of working experience and health worker cadre were associated with correct ACT prescription for uncomplicated malaria. Targeted interventions to improve health worker performance are needed to improve overall malaria case management.
Predictors of Antibiotics Co-Prescription with Antimalarials for Patients Presenting With Fever in Rural Tanzania
(2013-11) Njozi, Mustafa; Amuri, Mbaraka; Selemani, Majige; Masanja, Irene M.; Kigahe, Brown; Khatib, Rashid A.; Dan, Kajungu; Abdulla, Salim; Dodoo, Alexander
Successful implementation of malaria treatment policy depends on the prescription practices for patients with malaria. This paper describes prescription patterns and assesses factors associated with co-prescription of antibiotics and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) for patients presenting with fever in rural Tanzania. From June 2009 to September 2011, a cohort event monitoring program was conducted among all patients treated at 8 selected health facilities in Ifakara and Rufiji Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS).It included all patients presenting with fever and prescribed with AL. Logistic regression was used to model the predictors on the outcome variable which is co-prescription of AL and antibiotics on a single clinical visit. A cohort of 11,648 was recruited and followed up with 92% presenting with fever. Presumptive treatment was used in 56% of patients treated with AL. On average 2.4 (1 -- 7) drugs was prescribed per encounter, indicating co-prescription of AL with other drugs. Children under five had higher odds of AL and antibiotics co-prescription (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46 -- 0.85) than those aged more than five years. Patients testing negative had higher odds (OR = 2.22, 95%CI: 1.65 -- 2.97) of AL and antibiotics co-prescription. Patients receiving treatment from dispensaries had higher odds (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 0.84 -- 2.30) of AL and antibiotics co-prescription than those from served in health centres even though the deference was not statistically significant. Regardless the fact that Malaria is declining but due to lack of laboratories and mRDT in most health facilities in the rural areas, clinicians are still treating malaria presumptively. This leads them to prescribe more drugs to treat all
Retail Supply of Malaria-related Drugs in Rural Tanzania: Risks and Opportunities.
(Wiley, 2004) Goodman, Catherine; Kachur, Patrick S.; Abdulla, Salim; Mwageni, Eleuther; Nyoni, Joyce E.; Schellenberg, Joanna A.; Mills, Anne; Bloland, Peter
To characterize availability of fever and malaria medicines within the retail sector in rural Tanzania, assess the likely public health implications, and identify opportunities for policy interventions to increase the coverage of effective treatment. A census of retailers selling drugs was undertaken in the areas under demographic surveillance in four Tanzanian districts, using a structured questionnaire. Drugs were stocked by two types of retailer: a large number of general retailers (n = 675) and a relatively small number of drug shops (n = 43). Almost all outlets stocked antipyretics/painkillers. One-third of general retailers stocking drugs had antimalarials, usually chloroquine alone. Almost all drug shops stocked antimalarials (98%): nearly all had chloroquine, 42% stocked quinine, 37% sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine and 30% amodiaquine. A large number of antimalarial brands were available. Population ratios indicate the relative accessibility of retail drug providers compared with health facilities. Drug shop staff generally travelled long distances to buy from drugs wholesalers or pharmacies. General retailers bought mainly from local general wholesalers, with a few general wholesalers accounting for a high proportion of all sources cited. Drugs were widely available from a large number of retail outlets. Potential negative implications include provision of ineffective drugs, confusion over brand names, uncontrolled use of antimalarials, and the availability of components of potential combination therapy regimens as monotherapies. On the other hand, this active and highly accessible retail market provides opportunities for improving the coverage of effective antimalarial treatment. Interventions targeted at all drug retailers are likely to be costly to deliver and difficult to sustain, but two promising points for targeted intervention are drug shops and selected general wholesalers. Retail quality may also be improved through consumer education, and modification of the chemical quality, packaging and price of products entering the retail distribution chain.

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