Barriers to effectiveness: ACT and the health system
Project Information
People:
Funder: The Wellcome Trust
Disease: P.falciparum malaria
Countries involved: Tanzania
Collaborators:
- Prof David Schellenberg (LSHTM)
- Dr Kara Hanson (LSHTM)
- Dr Salim Abdulla (Ifakara Health Institute, Tanzania)
Artemisinin Combination Therapies (ACT) are increasingly deployed as first-line treatment of malaria. Evidence suggests that ACT have reduced transmission in some settings and may thus be important for elimination strategies. However, their effectiveness, both in terms of case-management and onward transmission, can be compromised by the practical constraints of weak health systems on appropriate delivery.
In this project we are exploring how a range of health systems factors, including heterogeneity in access and response to treatment, diagnostic capacity, treatment capacity and human resources, could reduce operational effectiveness.
