In Practice

Implementing malaria control in South Africa, Eswatini and southern Mozambique during the COVID-19 pandemic

B D Brooke, J Raman, J Frean, J Rundle, F Maartens, E Misiani, A Mabuza, K I Barnes, D P Moonasar, Q Dlamini, S Charles, L Blumberg

Abstract


The COVID-19 pandemic has strained healthcare delivery systems in a number of southern African countries. Despite this, it is imperative that malaria control and elimination activities continue, especially to reduce as far as possible the number and rate of hospitalisations caused by malaria. The implementation of enhanced malaria control/elimination activities in the context of COVID-19 requires measures to protect healthcare workers and the communities they serve. The aim of this review is therefore to present innovative ideas for the timely implementation of malaria control without increasing the risk of COVID-19 to healthcare workers and communities. Specific recommendations for parasite and vector surveillance, diagnosis, case management, mosquito vector control and community outreach and sensitisation are given.


Authors' affiliations

B D Brooke, Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Wits Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

J Raman, Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Wits Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

J Frean, Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Wits Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

J Rundle, Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative and Goodbye Malaria, Johannesburg, South Africa

F Maartens, Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative and Goodbye Malaria, Johannesburg, South Africa

E Misiani, Malaria and Other Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases Directorate, National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa

A Mabuza, Malaria Programme, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Pretoria, South Africa

K I Barnes, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa; WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN), Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

D P Moonasar, Malaria and Other Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases Directorate, National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa; School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Q Dlamini, National Malaria Control Programme, Mbabane, Kingdom of Eswatini

S Charles, Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative and Goodbye Malaria, Johannesburg, South Africa

L Blumberg, Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Full Text

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Keywords

Malaria control; COVID-19 pandemic; Healthcare delivery; Innovation

Cite this article

South African Medical Journal 2020;110(11):1072-1076. DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2020.v110i11.15286

Article History

Date submitted: 2020-10-08
Date published: 2020-10-08

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