PDMC Saves Lives | Post-discharge malaria chemoprevention in children with severe anaemia in Benin, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda: Formative and implementation research for policy decision making and implementation

Summary
Background: Young children in sub-Saharan Africa are at high risk of severe anaemia, associated with high mortality. Children who have recently recovered from severe anaemia in malaria-endemic areas remain at high risk of mortality for about 3-6 months after hospital discharge. Three months of post-discharge malaria chemoprevention (PDMC) has recently been shown to reduce hospital readmissions by 53% and post-discharge deaths by 77%. WHO now recommends PDMC in all highly malaria-endemic areas of Africa. However, the optimal strategies for how to deliver PDMC are not yet clear.

Objective: To undertake implementation research and translate results into national policy guidelines to promote PDMC uptake into clinical practice so that vulnerable children have access to life-saving medicines.

Study design: i) Formative research in two countries in the process of adopting PDMC (Malawi and Uganda) and two, not yet (Kenya and Benin), to identify key research questions for PDMC implementation. ii) Two implementation trials (Benin and Kenya, N=1,824) in recently discharged children following recovery from severe anaemia, co-designed with national stakeholders, will evaluate at least two PDMC delivery strategies involving community-health workers and automated SMS reminders. The primary outcome will be adherence. Secondary outcomes include clinical and cost-effectiveness, and acceptability and feasibility.

Interdisciplinary studies: Acceptability and feasibility; Cost-effectiveness; Policy analysis.

Timeline: 42 months: 9m preparation/formative research, 18m trial implementation, 6m analysis + 9m dissemination/exploitation and PhD completion.

Impact: The project is designed to provide evidence to support PDMC implementation.

Partners: Institut De Recherche Pour Le Developpement, France (coordinating partner); LSTM, UK ; EPICENTRE, France; Institut de Recherche Clinique du Benin; Training and Research Unit of Excellence, Malawi; Makerere Uni, Uganda; Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101103078
Start date: 01-07-2023
End date: 31-12-2026
Total budget - Public funding: 4 531 137,00 Euro - 4 531 137,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

Background: Young children in sub-Saharan Africa are at high risk of severe anaemia, associated with high mortality. Children who have recently recovered from severe anaemia in malaria-endemic areas remain at high risk of mortality for about 3-6 months after hospital discharge. Three months of post-discharge malaria chemoprevention (PDMC) has recently been shown to reduce hospital readmissions by 53% and post-discharge deaths by 77%. WHO now recommends PDMC in all highly malaria-endemic areas of Africa. However, the optimal strategies for how to deliver PDMC are not yet clear.

Objective: To undertake implementation research and translate results into national policy guidelines to promote PDMC uptake into clinical practice so that vulnerable children have access to life-saving medicines.

Study design: i) Formative research in two countries in the process of adopting PDMC (Malawi and Uganda) and two, not yet (Kenya and Benin), to identify key research questions for PDMC implementation. ii) Two implementation trials (Benin and Kenya, N=1,824) in recently discharged children following recovery from severe anaemia, co-designed with national stakeholders, will evaluate at least two PDMC delivery strategies involving community-health workers and automated SMS reminders. The primary outcome will be adherence. Secondary outcomes include clinical and cost-effectiveness, and acceptability and feasibility.

Interdisciplinary studies: Acceptability and feasibility; Cost-effectiveness; Policy analysis.

Timeline: 42 months: 9m preparation/formative research, 18m trial implementation, 6m analysis + 9m dissemination/exploitation and PhD completion.

Impact: The project is designed to provide evidence to support PDMC implementation.

Partners: Institut De Recherche Pour Le Developpement, France (coordinating partner); LSTM, UK ; EPICENTRE, France; Institut de Recherche Clinique du Benin; Training and Research Unit of Excellence, Malawi; Makerere Uni, Uganda; Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya

Status

SIGNED

Call topic

HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2022-CALL1-01-01

Update Date

31-07-2023
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Horizon Europe
HORIZON.2 Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
HORIZON.2.1 Health
HORIZON.2.1.0 Cross-cutting call topics
HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2022-01
HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2022-CALL1-01-01 Promoting implementation of research results into policy and practice
HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2022-01
HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2022-CALL1-01-01 Promoting implementation of research results into policy and practice