Impact of Changing Malaria Treatment Policy in Tanzania
Author Information
Author(s): Hetzel Manuel W, Msechu June J, Goodman Catherine, Lengeler Christian, Obrist Brigit, Kachur S Patrick, Makemba Ahmed, Nathan Rose, Schulze Alexander, Mshinda Hassan
Primary Institution: Swiss Tropical Institute
Hypothesis
How did the policy change from chloroquine to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine affect the availability of antimalarials in Tanzania?
Conclusion
The switch to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine improved treatment efficacy but significantly reduced the availability of antimalarials in the study area.
Supporting Evidence
- From 2001 to 2004, the number of general shops stocking drugs increased by 15%.
- The proportion of general shops stocking antimalarials dropped markedly, resulting in an almost 50% decrease of antimalarial selling outlets.
- In 2004, five out of 25 studied villages had neither a health facility nor a shop as a source of malaria treatment.
- Despite the increase in drug stores, the overall access to antimalarials decreased significantly.
Takeaway
When Tanzania changed its main malaria medicine, it became harder for people to find the medicine they needed, even though the new medicine worked better.
Methodology
Surveys of drug-selling outlets were conducted in 2001 and 2004 to assess the availability of antimalarials.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in self-reported data from shopkeepers regarding stock levels and customer demand.
Limitations
The study only captures a snapshot of drug availability at specific times and does not account for seasonal variations.
Participant Demographics
The study involved commercial outlets in rural and semi-urban areas of Kilombero and Ulanga Districts, Tanzania.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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