Use and limitations of malaria rapid diagnostic testing by community health workers in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo
Abstract Background Accurate and practical malaria diagnostics, such as immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), have the potential to avert unnecessary treatments and save lives. Volunteer community health workers (CHWs) represent a potentially valuable human resource for expanding this...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:5e54a9ff0a504dbe88a0ed9755077735 2023-05-15T15:08:23+02:00 Use and limitations of malaria rapid diagnostic testing by community health workers in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo Katsuva Jean Hawkes Michael Masumbuko Claude K 2009-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-308 https://doaj.org/article/5e54a9ff0a504dbe88a0ed9755077735 EN eng BMC http://www.malariajournal.com/content/8/1/308 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-8-308 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/5e54a9ff0a504dbe88a0ed9755077735 Malaria Journal, Vol 8, Iss 1, p 308 (2009) Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 article 2009 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-308 2022-12-31T08:12:35Z Abstract Background Accurate and practical malaria diagnostics, such as immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), have the potential to avert unnecessary treatments and save lives. Volunteer community health workers (CHWs) represent a potentially valuable human resource for expanding this technology to where it is most needed, remote rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa with limited health facilities and personnel. This study reports on a training programme for CHWs to incorporate RDTs into their management strategy for febrile children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a tropical African setting ravaged by human conflict. Methods Prospective cohort study, satisfaction questionnaire and decision analysis. Results Twelve CHWs were trained to safely and accurately perform and interpret RDTs, then successfully implemented rapid diagnostic testing in their remote community in a cohort of 357 febrile children. CHWs were uniformly positive in evaluating RDTs for their utility and ease of use. However, high malaria prevalence in this cohort (93% by RDTs, 88% by light microscopy) limited the cost-effectiveness of RDTs compared to presumptive treatment of all febrile children, as evidenced by findings from a simplified decision analysis. Conclusions CHWs can safely and effectively use RDTs in their management of febrile children; however, cost-effectiveness of RDTs is limited in zones of high malaria prevalence. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Malaria Journal 8 1 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
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English |
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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 Katsuva Jean Hawkes Michael Masumbuko Claude K Use and limitations of malaria rapid diagnostic testing by community health workers in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo |
topic_facet |
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
description |
Abstract Background Accurate and practical malaria diagnostics, such as immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), have the potential to avert unnecessary treatments and save lives. Volunteer community health workers (CHWs) represent a potentially valuable human resource for expanding this technology to where it is most needed, remote rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa with limited health facilities and personnel. This study reports on a training programme for CHWs to incorporate RDTs into their management strategy for febrile children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a tropical African setting ravaged by human conflict. Methods Prospective cohort study, satisfaction questionnaire and decision analysis. Results Twelve CHWs were trained to safely and accurately perform and interpret RDTs, then successfully implemented rapid diagnostic testing in their remote community in a cohort of 357 febrile children. CHWs were uniformly positive in evaluating RDTs for their utility and ease of use. However, high malaria prevalence in this cohort (93% by RDTs, 88% by light microscopy) limited the cost-effectiveness of RDTs compared to presumptive treatment of all febrile children, as evidenced by findings from a simplified decision analysis. Conclusions CHWs can safely and effectively use RDTs in their management of febrile children; however, cost-effectiveness of RDTs is limited in zones of high malaria prevalence. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Katsuva Jean Hawkes Michael Masumbuko Claude K |
author_facet |
Katsuva Jean Hawkes Michael Masumbuko Claude K |
author_sort |
Katsuva Jean |
title |
Use and limitations of malaria rapid diagnostic testing by community health workers in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo |
title_short |
Use and limitations of malaria rapid diagnostic testing by community health workers in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo |
title_full |
Use and limitations of malaria rapid diagnostic testing by community health workers in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo |
title_fullStr |
Use and limitations of malaria rapid diagnostic testing by community health workers in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo |
title_full_unstemmed |
Use and limitations of malaria rapid diagnostic testing by community health workers in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo |
title_sort |
use and limitations of malaria rapid diagnostic testing by community health workers in war-torn democratic republic of congo |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-308 https://doaj.org/article/5e54a9ff0a504dbe88a0ed9755077735 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Malaria Journal, Vol 8, Iss 1, p 308 (2009) |
op_relation |
http://www.malariajournal.com/content/8/1/308 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-8-308 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/5e54a9ff0a504dbe88a0ed9755077735 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-308 |
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Malaria Journal |
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8 |
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1 |
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1766339751309213696 |