OPT-SMC: Cameroon project
Effectiveness of using household leaders to improve adherence during SMC in northern Cameroon
Following a marked decrease in malaria cases after the first SMC campaign in 2016 in the north and far north regions of Cameroon (from 27.4% morbidity rate the previous year to 16.1 % in the current year), there has been a regular increase in malaria cases over the subsequent years. Malaria mortality data in the same region has fluctuated from year to year. With such varying impact of SMC, the NMCP from Cameroon and its partners wanted to explore the factors influencing SMC effectiveness.
This study is a mixed method approach to evaluate the effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of reminders by community household leaders on adherence to SMC for doses given by caregivers to the children on day 2 and day 3. Preliminary analysis suggests that using community household leaders did not substantially improve SMC coverage. However, this may also be due to variations in community attitudes to SMC in the three regions under study.
The study was presented at the SMC Alliance Annual Meeting, Conakry, March 2023.