Kemri-Wellcome Trust Research Programme: Assessing the acceptability and competence of Community Health Workers (CHWs) as providers of malaria treatment in Kenya.

Studies have shown that despite malaria being a leading killer among infectious diseases, access to prompt effective treatment remains low. Kenya, through its proposed community strategy plans to use CHWs as an avenue of increasing access but this remains highly controversial especially among key stakeholders as there is little evidence on their competence and acceptability as malaria treatment providers. This study explores the perceptions of the key stakeholders, as well as the characteristics, knowledge and practice of CHWs in relation to ACT provision. This will involve: Literature review on the utilization, acceptability, quality of care and effectiveness of CHWs as providers of anti-malarials. In-depth qualitative interviews with key stakeholders will be carried out. These interviews will explore their views on the appropriateness of CHWs and their sustainability as providers of anti- malarial treatment. A quantitative cross-sectional survey of CHWs in two areas with varied malaria prevalence. This will be used to describe the characteristics, roles and activities of CHWs, and assess their knowledge and practice in relation to provision of anti-malarial treatment. The study findings will inform policy on how best to utilize and sustain CHWs activities hence increasing coverage of appropriate malaria treatment.

Programme: International Masters Fellowship

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