Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T11:47:05.803Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Policy brief on improving access to artemisinin-based combination therapies for malaria control in Ethiopia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2010

Amha Kebede
Affiliation:
Ethiopian Health & Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI)
Adugna Woyessa
Affiliation:
Ethiopian Health & Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI)
Kelbessa Urga
Affiliation:
Ethiopian Health & Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI)
Tsehaynesh Messelle
Affiliation:
Ethiopian Health & Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI)
Daddi Jima
Affiliation:
Ethiopian Health & Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI)

Extract

Malaria in Ethiopia is one of the leading causes of death (21.8 percent), consultation in outpatient departments (17.8 percent) and hospital admissions (14.1 percent) (2;14). To overcome this problem, the Malaria Control Program (Federal Ministry of Health) has designed a community-based malaria treatment approach that played key roles in malaria epidemic control and community mobilization as well as vector control operations. In this approach, Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Village Malaria Workers, volunteers selected by community and trained on malaria diagnosis and treatment as well as indoor residual spray for few days (16). However, sustainability of this approach has been a challenge to the malaria control program. Thus, institutional arrangements in which every Kebele (the smallest administrative unit of 5,000 people) has a health post staffed by two Health Extension Workers (HEW) as part of the country's health system is a breakthrough to strengthen malaria control. A study has shown that more than half of the patients with fever visit CHWs and private health facility services (4).

Type
THEME SECTION: OPTIONS FOR IMPROVING MALARIA TREATMENT
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Abuya, TO, Mutemi, W, Karisa, B, Ochola, SA, Fegan, G, Marsh, V. Use of over-the-counter malaria medicines in children and adults in three districts in Kenya: Implications for private medicine retailer interventions. Malaria J. 2007;6:57.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Adhanom, T, Deressa, W, Witten, KH, Getachew, A, Seboxa, T. Malaria. In: Berhane, Y, Haile-Mariam, D, Kloos, H, eds. Epidemiology and ecology of health and disease in Ethiopia. 1st ed. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Shama Books; 2006:556576.Google Scholar
3. Declaration of Alma-Ata International Conference on Primary Health Care, Alma-Ata, USSR; September 6–12, 1978.Google Scholar
4. Deressa, W, Ali, A, Enqusellassie, F. Self-treatment of malaria in rural communities, Butajira, southern Ethiopia. Bull World Health Organ. 2003;81:261268.Google ScholarPubMed
5. Deressa, W, Shelleme, CS, Olana, D. Treatment seeking of malaria patients in East Shewa zone of Oromia, Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Dev. 2003;17:915.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Enserink, M. Malaria treatment: ACT two. Science. 2007;318:560563.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Federal Ministry of Health of Ethiopia. Malaria diagnosis and treatment guidelines for health workers in Ethiopia. 2nd ed. http://www.moh.gov.et/index.php (accessed May 15, 2009).Google Scholar
8. Gebre-Mariam, N. Highlights of the malaria situation in Ethiopia. Proceedings of the Workshop on the Promotion and Strengthening of Malaria Control Through Primary Health Care, Addis Ababa. National Health Development Network; October 5–8, 1984. p 5–17.Google Scholar
9. Kidane, G, Morrow, RH. Teaching mothers to provide home treatment of malaria in Tigray, Ethiopia: A randomized trial. Lancet. 2000;356:550555.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10. Kitaw, Y, Ye-Ebiyo, Y, Said, A, Desta, T, Teklehaimanot, A. Assessment of the training of the first intake of health extension workers. Ethiop J Health Dev. 2007;21:232239.Google Scholar
11. Kong, S, Brown, M. Community health workers: Ethiopia, Addis Ababa: USAID Knowledge Services Center. www.usaid.gov (accessed July 23, 2008).Google Scholar
12. Marsh, VM, Mutemil, WM, Willetts, A, et al. Improving malaria home treatment by training drug retailers in rural Kenya. Trop Med Int Health. 2004;9:451460.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Ministry of Health (MOH). Guideline for malaria diagnosis and treatment for frontline health workers in Ethiopia. Epidemiology and AIDS Control Department, Malaria and other Vector-borne Disease Control Unit; (July 1999).Google Scholar
14. Ministry of Health. Malaria control profile. Addis Ababa: Commercial Printing Enterprise; 2000.Google Scholar
15. Teka, H, Petro, B, Yamuah, L, et al. Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium vivax malaria in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia. Malaria J. 2008;7:220.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. Temiess, W. Health extension program in Ethiopia: Towards better access to health services for the rural poor. In: Health Sector Development Programme. Q Health Bull. 2008;3–9.Google Scholar
17. Tulu, AN. Malaria. In: Zein ZA, Kloos H, eds. The ecology of health and disease in Ethiopia. 2nd ed. Boulder, CO: Greenwood Press; 1991:341352.Google Scholar
18. World Health Organization. Scaling-up home-based management of malaria. From research to implementation. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004. WHO/HTM/MAL/2004.1096.Google Scholar
19. Zuvekas, A, Nolan, LS, Tumaylle, C. Impact of community health workers on access, use of services and patient knowledge and behavior. Washington DC: Center for Health Policy Research, George Washington University Medical Center; January, 1998.Google Scholar