Expanding the roles of community health workers to sustain programmes during malaria elimination: a meeting report on operational research in Southeast Asia
Issued Date
2024-12-01
Resource Type
eISSN
14752875
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85181250898
Pubmed ID
38166839
Journal Title
Malaria Journal
Volume
23
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Malaria Journal Vol.23 No.1 (2024)
Suggested Citation
Dysoley L., Callery J.J., Bunreth V., Vanna M., Davoeung C., Sovann Y., You S., Ol S., Tripura R., Chew R., Chandna A., Christiansen-Jucht C., Hughes J., Sokomar N., Sophornarann T., Rideout J., Veyvath T., Sarith O., Puthy T., Sothearoth H., An S.S., Zaman S.I., von Seidlein L., Vanthy L., Sodavuth P., Vannak C., Dondorp A.M., Lubell Y., Maude R.J., Peto T.J., Adhikari B. Expanding the roles of community health workers to sustain programmes during malaria elimination: a meeting report on operational research in Southeast Asia. Malaria Journal Vol.23 No.1 (2024). doi:10.1186/s12936-023-04828-4 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/95572
Title
Expanding the roles of community health workers to sustain programmes during malaria elimination: a meeting report on operational research in Southeast Asia
Author(s)
Dysoley L.
Callery J.J.
Bunreth V.
Vanna M.
Davoeung C.
Sovann Y.
You S.
Ol S.
Tripura R.
Chew R.
Chandna A.
Christiansen-Jucht C.
Hughes J.
Sokomar N.
Sophornarann T.
Rideout J.
Veyvath T.
Sarith O.
Puthy T.
Sothearoth H.
An S.S.
Zaman S.I.
von Seidlein L.
Vanthy L.
Sodavuth P.
Vannak C.
Dondorp A.M.
Lubell Y.
Maude R.J.
Peto T.J.
Adhikari B.
Callery J.J.
Bunreth V.
Vanna M.
Davoeung C.
Sovann Y.
You S.
Ol S.
Tripura R.
Chew R.
Chandna A.
Christiansen-Jucht C.
Hughes J.
Sokomar N.
Sophornarann T.
Rideout J.
Veyvath T.
Sarith O.
Puthy T.
Sothearoth H.
An S.S.
Zaman S.I.
von Seidlein L.
Vanthy L.
Sodavuth P.
Vannak C.
Dondorp A.M.
Lubell Y.
Maude R.J.
Peto T.J.
Adhikari B.
Author's Affiliation
Angkor Hospital for Children
Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit
University Research Co., LLC
Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc.
The University of Queensland
Organisation Mondiale de la Santé
The Open University
Nuffield Department of Medicine
United States Agency for International Development
Cambodia Malaria Elimination Project 2
President’s Malaria Initiative
United Nations Office for Project Services
Action for Health Development
Battambang Provincial Health Department
Pailin Provincial Health Department
National Institute for Public Health
National Centre for Parasitology
Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit
University Research Co., LLC
Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc.
The University of Queensland
Organisation Mondiale de la Santé
The Open University
Nuffield Department of Medicine
United States Agency for International Development
Cambodia Malaria Elimination Project 2
President’s Malaria Initiative
United Nations Office for Project Services
Action for Health Development
Battambang Provincial Health Department
Pailin Provincial Health Department
National Institute for Public Health
National Centre for Parasitology
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
In Southeast Asia malaria elimination is targeted by 2030. Cambodia aims to achieve this by 2025, driven in large part by the urgent need to control the spread of artemisinin-resistant falciparum malaria infections. Rapid elimination depends on sustaining early access to diagnosis and effective treatment. In much of Cambodia, rapid elimination will rely on a village malaria worker (VMW) network. Yet as malaria declines and is no longer a common cause of febrile illness, VMWs may become less popular with febrile patients, as VMWs do not diagnose or treat other conditions at present. There is a risk that VMWs become inactive and malaria rebounds before the complete interruption of transmission is achieved. During 2021–23 a large-scale operational research study was conducted in western Cambodia to explore how a VMW network could be sustained by including health activities that cover non-malarial illnesses to encourage febrile patients to continue to attend. 105 VMWs received new rapid diagnostic tests (including dengue antigen–antibody and combined malaria/C-reactive protein tests), were trained in electronic data collection, and attended health education packages on hygiene and sanitation, disease surveillance and first aid, management of mild illness, and vaccination and antenatal care. In August 2023 the National Malaria Control Programme of Cambodia convened a stakeholder meeting in Battambang, Cambodia. Findings from the study were reviewed in the context of current malaria elimination strategies. The discussions informed policy options to sustain the relevance of the VMW network in Cambodia, and the potential for its integration with other health worker networks. This expansion could ensure VMWs remain active and relevant until malaria elimination is accomplished.