From chloroquine to artemether-lumefantrine: the process of drug policy change in Zambia
Abstract Background Following the recognition that morbidity and mortality due to malaria had dramatically increased in the last three decades, in 2002 the government of Zambia reviewed its efforts to prevent and treat malaria. Convincing evidence of the failing efficacy of chloroquine resulted in t...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:31c6317666e14bd683532a57d838e199 2023-05-15T15:16:43+02:00 From chloroquine to artemether-lumefantrine: the process of drug policy change in Zambia Snow Robert W Olumese Peter Chanda Pascalina Simon Jonathon L Sipilanyambe Naawa Hamer Davidson H 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-7-25 https://doaj.org/article/31c6317666e14bd683532a57d838e199 EN eng BMC http://www.malariajournal.com/content/7/1/25 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-7-25 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/31c6317666e14bd683532a57d838e199 Malaria Journal, Vol 7, Iss 1, p 25 (2008) Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 article 2008 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-7-25 2022-12-31T01:47:53Z Abstract Background Following the recognition that morbidity and mortality due to malaria had dramatically increased in the last three decades, in 2002 the government of Zambia reviewed its efforts to prevent and treat malaria. Convincing evidence of the failing efficacy of chloroquine resulted in the initiation of a process that eventually led to the development and implementation of a new national drug policy based on artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). Methods All published and unpublished documented evidence dealing with the antimalarial drug policy change was reviewed. These data were supplemented by the authors' observations of the policy change process. The information has been structured to capture the timing of events, the challenges encountered, and the resolutions reached in order to achieve implementation of the new treatment policy. Results A decision was made to change national drug policy to artemether-lumefantrine (AL) in the first quarter of 2002, with a formal announcement made in October 2002. During this period, efforts were undertaken to identify funding for the procurement of AL and to develop new malaria treatment guidelines, training materials, and plans for implementation of the policy. In order to avoid a delay in implementation, the policy change decision required a formal adoption within existing legislation. Starting with donated drug, a phased deployment of AL began in January 2003 with initial use in seven districts followed by scaling up to 28 districts in the second half of 2003 and then to all 72 districts countrywide in early 2004. Conclusion Drug policy changes are not without difficulties and demand a sustained international financing strategy for them to succeed. The Zambian experience demonstrates the need for a harmonized national consensus among many stakeholders and a political commitment to ensure that new policies are translated into practice quickly. To guarantee effective policies requires more effort and recognition that this becomes a health system and not ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Malaria Journal 7 1 |
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Snow Robert W Olumese Peter Chanda Pascalina Simon Jonathon L Sipilanyambe Naawa Hamer Davidson H From chloroquine to artemether-lumefantrine: the process of drug policy change in Zambia |
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
description |
Abstract Background Following the recognition that morbidity and mortality due to malaria had dramatically increased in the last three decades, in 2002 the government of Zambia reviewed its efforts to prevent and treat malaria. Convincing evidence of the failing efficacy of chloroquine resulted in the initiation of a process that eventually led to the development and implementation of a new national drug policy based on artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). Methods All published and unpublished documented evidence dealing with the antimalarial drug policy change was reviewed. These data were supplemented by the authors' observations of the policy change process. The information has been structured to capture the timing of events, the challenges encountered, and the resolutions reached in order to achieve implementation of the new treatment policy. Results A decision was made to change national drug policy to artemether-lumefantrine (AL) in the first quarter of 2002, with a formal announcement made in October 2002. During this period, efforts were undertaken to identify funding for the procurement of AL and to develop new malaria treatment guidelines, training materials, and plans for implementation of the policy. In order to avoid a delay in implementation, the policy change decision required a formal adoption within existing legislation. Starting with donated drug, a phased deployment of AL began in January 2003 with initial use in seven districts followed by scaling up to 28 districts in the second half of 2003 and then to all 72 districts countrywide in early 2004. Conclusion Drug policy changes are not without difficulties and demand a sustained international financing strategy for them to succeed. The Zambian experience demonstrates the need for a harmonized national consensus among many stakeholders and a political commitment to ensure that new policies are translated into practice quickly. To guarantee effective policies requires more effort and recognition that this becomes a health system and not ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Snow Robert W Olumese Peter Chanda Pascalina Simon Jonathon L Sipilanyambe Naawa Hamer Davidson H |
author_facet |
Snow Robert W Olumese Peter Chanda Pascalina Simon Jonathon L Sipilanyambe Naawa Hamer Davidson H |
author_sort |
Snow Robert W |
title |
From chloroquine to artemether-lumefantrine: the process of drug policy change in Zambia |
title_short |
From chloroquine to artemether-lumefantrine: the process of drug policy change in Zambia |
title_full |
From chloroquine to artemether-lumefantrine: the process of drug policy change in Zambia |
title_fullStr |
From chloroquine to artemether-lumefantrine: the process of drug policy change in Zambia |
title_full_unstemmed |
From chloroquine to artemether-lumefantrine: the process of drug policy change in Zambia |
title_sort |
from chloroquine to artemether-lumefantrine: the process of drug policy change in zambia |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-7-25 https://doaj.org/article/31c6317666e14bd683532a57d838e199 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Malaria Journal, Vol 7, Iss 1, p 25 (2008) |
op_relation |
http://www.malariajournal.com/content/7/1/25 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-7-25 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/31c6317666e14bd683532a57d838e199 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-7-25 |
container_title |
Malaria Journal |
container_volume |
7 |
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1 |
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1766347016144683008 |