Systemic constraints continue to limit coverage of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy in southeast Tanzania
| Autor: | Maryam Ba-Break, Kirstie J Graham |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2013 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male medicine.medical_specialty Health (social science) Service delivery framework Sulfadoxine Attitude of Health Personnel medicine.medical_treatment Health Personnel Alternative medicine Drug Resistance Developing country Tanzania Drug Administration Schedule Interviews as Topic Antimalarials Pregnancy Environmental health parasitic diseases medicine Humans Health Services Needs and Demand biology business.industry Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Prenatal Care General Medicine medicine.disease biology.organism_classification Malaria Drug Combinations Pyrimethamine Pill Pregnancy Complications Parasitic Practice Guidelines as Topic Female Clinical Competence Guideline Adherence business Delivery of Health Care |
| Zdroj: | International health. 5(2) |
| ISSN: | 1876-3405 |
| Popis: | BACKGROUND: Factors limiting coverage of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) in Tanzania were explored from the perspective of health workers in order to make recommendations to improve service delivery. Recent data estimates coverage of the recommended two doses of IPTp at 26.3% far short of the national target of 80%. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 health workers and 2 health managers during June 2011 in Ikwiriri southeast Tanzania. RESULTS: Delivery of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) was severely constrained by drug shortages and widespread stock-outs indicative of ongoing difficulties in the wider health system. While SP was well known and attitudes towards IPTp were positive health workers were often not informed of up-to-date dosing schedules limiting coverage. Recent literature suggests this could be due to inconsistent and conflicting national guidelines. In addition it was found that two pills instead of the recommended three pills per dose of IPTp were frequently given to pregnant women a finding previously unreported. CONCLUSION: To maximize IPTp coverage sufficient and consistent supplies of SP to both public and private health facilities are a necessity combined with effective communication of revised dosing schedules. Further research is warranted to investigate the aberrant administration of two pills per dose as it may exacerbate drug resistance. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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