Field testing of user-friendly perennial malaria chemoprevention packaging in Benin, Côte d'Ivoire and Mozambique.

Background: Perennial malaria chemoprevention (PMC) aims to protect children at risk from severe malaria by the administration of anti-malarial drugs to children of defined ages throughout the year. Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) has been widely used for chemoprevention in Africa and a child-friendly dispersible tablet formulation has recently become available.

Methods: This qualitative non-interventional observational study was conducted in Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mozambique between February and June 2022.

Participatory research for the development of information, education and communication tools to promote intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Mozambique.

Background: To improve the coverage of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) in Africa, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) developed, tested and validated a new packaging of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), as well as specific communications tools designed to improve knowledge of IPTp and the motivation of women to adhere to it, particularly if it is distributed by community health workers (CHW).

Methods: This article describes and analyses the results of an empirical research carried out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria and Mozambique, to evaluate the perception and social acceptability of SP for healthcare providers, CHW and pregnant women, and to assess the ability of the new SP packaging and the communications tools to change their perception of SP and improve their attitudes towards IPTp.

Results: The results indicate that SP's new individual packaging was perceived by pregnant women and healthcare providers as a "hygienic" and "safe", with a specific identity.

Global Call to Action to scale-up coverage of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy: seminar report.

In 2014, a global 'Call to Action' seminar for the scale-up of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy was held during the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. This report summarizes the presentations and main discussion points from the meeting.

Global Call to Action: maximize the public health impact of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa.

Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy is a highly cost-effective intervention which significantly improves maternal and birth outcomes among mothers and their newborns who live in areas of moderate to high malaria transmission. However, coverage in sub-Saharan Africa remains unacceptably low, calling for urgent action to increase uptake dramatically and maximize its public health impact. The 'Global Call to Action' outlines priority actions that will pave the way to success in achieving national and international coverage targets.