Ghana

Ghana

Areas eligible for SMC and areas where SMC is implemented

Photo: Ghana SMC implementation map

Ghana (2021 SMC season)

# of children targeted

# of children reached

Coverage

Cycle 1

1,381,837

1,259,661

91%

Cycle 2

1,381,837

1,328,667

96%

Cycle 3

1,381,837

1,349,421

98%

Cycle 4

904939

865474

96%

Children receiving at least 4 cycles

904939

765746

85%

Data from the NMCP of Ghana

Monitoring of coverage completeness

Photo: Toby Madden / MMV
  • The team uses an electronic data collection application (SiCapp) to monitor coverage on daily basis

Monitoring for compliance

  • Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) revisit household on days 2 and 3

Evaluating efficacy

  • The team used case control studies to evaluate efficacy

Coverage survey

  • Completed a coverage survey in February 2021.

Succeses

  • Some volunteers moved very early in the morning or in the evening/night to dose children when caregivers were available
  • Most volunteers and supervisors strictly follow the Covid-19 prevention protocols
  • Any adverse drug reaction was immediately reported to the pharmacovigilance team and the affected child sent to the nearest health facility for prompt management
  • A Chief in Pru East District supported the campaign by giving supervisors boats and canoes to help reach children everywhere in the district

Way forward

  • Meet with RHDs of all eligible regions and plan for 2022 SMC
  • Support IT unit to update SiCapp
  • Continue discussions possible expansion (No. of rounds, age-group and geographical area)
  • Procurement of adequate number of android tablets – to avoid tablet retrieval after each round
  • Strengthen collaboration with neighbouring countries

 

Challenges

  • Life jackets – more needed - OR and BER
  • Inadequate number of vehicles; frequent breakdown of vehicles
  • Network issues (data synchronization
  • Medications for treatment of common ADRs are not available in some Health Centres (eg Hydrocortisone, ORS, Antihistamines)
  • Volunteers – lower number of volunteers used by the districts leading to volunteer fatigue
  • Missing/damaged android tablets and chargers

Proposed solutions

 

  • Procure more life jackets
  • Rent some vehicles to complement our fleet
  • Trained CHVs to record data in offline mode and synchronize data when internet connectivity available
  • Encourage all Regional Health Directorates to ensure that medicines for ADR treatment are available in all health centres during SMC
  • Increase the number of CHV and/or daily allowances
  • Sensitize CHVs on how to keep/handle the android tablets

 

Research priorities for 2021

  • SMC coverage survey-Ongoing
  • Conduct efficacy study on AQ and SP (including monitoring of molecularmarkers of resistance) (2023)

Partners

  • Coverage survey - OPT-SMC
  • Efficacy study: Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical research (University of Ghana)