Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACTs) Malaria Treatment

PACE has developed and is implementing a demand creation campaign. Organisers say the goal is to not only increase uptake of the "Green Leaf" brand of ACTs (a logo developed by PSI/Uganda to signify high quality, affordable malaria treatment), but also to encourage immediate action: recognising the symptoms and treating malaria with ACTs within 24 hours. Alongside this, adherence to the treatment regimen is heavily promoted as another critical component of the communications campaign.

PACE’s remit also includes the development of packaging for the product. This involved encasing the original Novartis Coartem® blister in a locally designed and produced instructional envelope, colour-coded by age. According to organisers, in 2008, PACE printed and packed over 200,000 doses of ACTs for distribution by Surgipharm, a CAPSS partner.

With a mainly rural intended audience, PACE has adopted a communications mix for the programme borne out of lessons and experiences gained from some of their other intervention areas. Advocacy plays a critical role in the programme and not only enlists the district administration’s leadership and active participation in its implementation, but also calls upon local opinion leaders and influencers to carry the message forward to their constituents. Community mobilisation and sensitisation, including via radio, emphasise the campaign’s key messages, and some print and point-of-sale materials were also developed, primarily to familiarise the intended audience with the “Green Leaf” logo.

With other CAPSS partners working to address provider training, distribution, and pharmaco-vigilance, organisers say this collaborative effort and the results of the pilot will provide valuable lessons to inform scale-up of the initiative nationwide in the near future.

Malaria