Investigating factors affecting coverage and acceptability of perennial malaria chemoprevention with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in Osun state, Nigeria

Authors: Chinazo Ujuju, Michael Ekholuenetale, Nnenna Ogbuluafor, Olufemi Oroge, Rufai Ahmed, Semiu Rahman, Kolawole Maxwell, Mary Adekola, Benjamin Ilesanmi, Adekemi Ajayi, Olusola Oresanya, James Tibenderana

Our findings will refine strategies for implementation of perennial malaria chemoprevention with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and help to develop targeted messages for caregivers, community members and healthcare workers.

Delivering perennial malaria chemoprevention (PMC) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) has been judged to be safe and cost-effective, and is well accepted by health workers and communities. An analysis of several trials in sub-Saharan Africa showed that the intervention reduced cases of malaria illness by 30 percent, hospital admissions by 23 percent and anaemia by 21 percent in the first year of life. The World Health Organization recommends that PMC be administered to children under five; however, PMC is currently not a recommended policy in Nigeria. We are implementing a study in Nigeria to investigate the effects of PMC on malaria morbidity and mortality, hospitalisation rates and anaemia outcomes in children aged 2–18 months, as well as to define country-level policy and operational feasibility indicators. To help inform policy, we assessed potential challenges and barriers to the acceptability of PMC in Nigeria.

This poster was presented at the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Society's 8th Pan-African Malaria Conference.