In developing countries, about two-thirds of people in endemic areas obtain their malaria information and treatment from private drug outlets. But private sellers often lack important knowledge and are influenced by advertising and profit motives. In early 2000, the Quality Assurance Project assisted the Bungoma District Health Management Team in western Kenya to introduce a low-cost social marketing strategy to increase private drug outlets’ compliance with national malaria treatment guidelines. The intervention consisted of formative research into the main situations faced by shopkeepers, creation of customized shopkeeper and client job aids based on the research, and a one-day training of local wholesalers and mobile vendors in how to communicate the job aids to small retail outlets. The vendors were asked to distribute the job aids, explain their content, and obtain receipts. In October 2000, mystery shoppers and supervisors evaluated the activity. Approximately 500 outlets had been reached. We found that 72 brands of anti-malarial drugs were being sold, and the price of a child’s treatment ranged from $0.03 to $1.60 (average: $0.45). Significant findings were that 18% of outlets receiving the job aids, as compared to 2% of control outlets, sold mystery shoppers an approved anti-malarial treatment. Correct dosage information was given to 40% of shoppers at intervention outlets, versus only 16% at control outlets. The cost of the intervention was about $0.12 per beneficiary to date. If coupled with a national essential malaria drug sales list and drug packaging certification, the intervention would have greater impact. See www.qaproject.org
Learning Objectives: At the end of the session, participants will be able to: 1. Explain the main drawbacks of malaria treatment received from private drug outlets in developing countries; 2. Describe a successful social marketing intervention that increased private outlets’ knowledge of and compliance with malaria treatment guidelines in one district of Kenya; 3. Understand the limitations of district-level activities to influence private retail drug sellers.
Keywords: Peer Information Network, Developing Countries
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.