Seasonal malaria chemoprevention

Malaria Consortium is committed to high-quality SMC delivery, which is effective, safe, people-centred, timely and equitable. We use an SMC quality framework that defines standards across all campaign activities. Our security adaptation and flood adaptation principles describe how SMC can be delivered safely in areas affected by conflict and extreme weather events, such as severe flooding.

In practice: Our SMC quality working group serves as a platform for exchanging good practices across countries. Country teams are encouraged to review SMC quality regularly together with partners. Annual quality improvement plans are implemented collaboratively.

Discover how we ensure high-quality seasonal malaria chemoprevention delivery through collaborative knowledge sharing.

Malaria Consortium uses monitoring and evaluation (M&E) data-driven insights to improve SMC coverage and quality. We have a comprehensive SMC M&E framework that underpins our M&E approach. Our country teams then develop annual data-informed decision-making plans together with partners.

In practice: An SMC M&E working group leads efforts to harmonise M&E across countries and strengthen data-informed decision-making plans. We conduct end-of-cycle household surveys using lot quality assurance sampling after all but the final SMC cycle. Survey findings are used to inform adjustments between cycles through joint reviews and agreed remedial actions with partners. Following the last cycle, we conduct comprehensive end-of-round household surveys to inform year-on-year improvements. 

Explore our data-driven surveillance and decision-making strategies for effective SMC coverage.

Digital tools can transform health campaigns by improving efficiency, quality, accountability and equity. In SMC, they can support most campaign components and overall management and oversight. Maximum impact comes from embedding tools in a broader digital architecture that enables integration and interoperability with routine health management information systems.

In practice: Malaria Consortium is leading SMC digitalisation in Mozambique and Nigeria in using DIGIT HCM, an open-source integrated campaign management platform. We also engage with global initiatives, including the Health Campaign Effectiveness Coalition. We are platform agnostic, with experience using a range of digital tools tailored to each country’s context and ecosystem. Our colleagues from across the SMC programme discuss our approach through a campaign digitalisation working group. 

Learn how digital tools are transforming seasonal malaria chemoprevention campaigns.

SMC is a community-based delivery platform that reliably reaches many children in a cost-effective manner. The platform can be used to increase the reach of other health interventions, either through full integration — using SMC to co-deliver other interventions — or partial integration, which involves using some SMC campaign components to support other interventions, while delivery remains separate. 

In practice: Working with Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme, we tested the full integration of SMC programme with vitamin A supplementation (VAS) in one state in 2024, resulting in a substantial increase in VAS coverage. Evidence from an earlier pilot indicated that integration was safe, equitable and did not compromise the quality or coverage of SMC delivery.  In Togo, Malaria Consortium and the National Malaria Control Programme have been implementing the Zero-dose project in 21 districts since 2024. During the door-to-door SMC delivery, community distributors were trained to check children’s vaccination status for preventable childhood diseases and to refer those who had missed doses to a nearby health centre for immunisation or follow-up.

Find out how integrated delivery models enhance the impact of SMC and other health interventions.

Malaria Consortium engages with external audiences to shape SMC policy and practice, and to advocate for sustainable financing. As the largest global SMC implementer and a research organisation, we offer unique insights and evidence. We also play a leading role and actively participate in the SMC Alliance, which is a key platform for engaging with the malaria chemoprevention community, including the governments of SMC-implementing countries, multilateral organisations, researchers, partners and donors. 

In practice: We serve as secretariat for the SMC Alliance’s research and advocacy and communications subgroups, coordinating regular meetings, webinars and activities for members. We also actively participate in the SMC Alliance annual meeting to share evidence, facilitate dialogue and align efforts across stakeholders. 

Discover our strategic partnerships driving global malaria chemoprevention policy and advocacy.