Evaluation of mass drug administration for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in school-aged children in Bankass, Mali

• Published in: International journal of infectious diseases 2021-11, Vol.112, p.196-201
• Main Authors: Sangare, Moussa, Berthe, Adama, Dolo, Housseini, Diabaté, Abdoul Fatao, Konipo, Fatoumata dite Nènè, Soumaoro, Lamine, Doumbia, Salif Seriba, Coulibaly, Michel Emmanuel, Diarra, Lamine, Sanogo, Yacouba, Atsou, Kueshivi Midodji, Diallo, Abdallah Amadou, Coulibaly, Siaka Yamoussa, Keita, Modibo, Doumbia, Seydou, Coulibaly, Yaya Ibrahim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anthelmintics - therapeutic use; Bankass and Mali; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Evaluation; Helminthiasis - drug therapy; Helminthiasis - epidemiology; Helminths; Humans; Mali - epidemiology; Mass Drug Administration; Prevalence; Reproducibility of Results; Schistosomiasis; Schistosomiasis - drug therapy; Schistosomiasis - epidemiology; Schistosomiasis - prevention & control; School-aged children; Schools; Soil; Soil-transmitted helminths
• ISSN: 1201-9712; 1878-3511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.08.063

•Data show suitable coverage of >90% in contrast with lower rates initially reported•Inaccessibility and lack of awareness were the main reasons for missing MDA•Health workers suggested an increase to their incentives and motivations•This study raises questions about the effectiveness of the current strategy•These results raise concerns about the reliability of programmatic data In 2004, Mali implemented mass drug administration (MDA) aimed at controlling schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths. Despite several rounds of MDA, the health district of Bankass reported low coverage (64.8%) for praziquantel and albendazole in 2017, meaning that this district was still facing challenges in accomplishing the targeted 75% coverage. This study aimed to explore the barriers and gaps that hindered MDA implementation in Bankass. A cross-sectional study was performed. Questionnaires were administrated to all school-aged children in randomly selected villages. Technical directors of community health centers and community drug distributors in the selected villages were included in the interviews. A total of 2128 children and 52 health workers were interviewed. Coverage rates were 93.51% (1990/2128) for praziquantel and 95.25% (2027/2128) for albendazole. Among the untreated children, 31.63% (31/98) reported being unaware of the campaign and 26.53% (26/98) were unable to reach the distribution points. Most of the health workers suggested increasing incentives. The data showed satisfactory coverage >90%, in contrast with lower rates initially reported by the district health information system. These results raise concerns about the reliability of programmatic data and highlight the importance of population-based surveys for the evaluation of control interventions.