Factors influencing malaria control policy-making in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Mutero, CM

Kramer, RA

Paul, C.

Lesser, A

Miranda, ML

Mboera, LEG

Kiptui, R

Kabatereine, N

Ameneshewa, B

England

2015-02-12T19:20:13Z

2014-08-08

BACKGROUND: Policy decisions for malaria control are often difficult to make as decision-makers have to carefully consider an array of options and respond to the needs of a large number of stakeholders. This study assessed the factors and specific objectives that influence malaria control policy decisions, as a crucial first step towards developing an inclusive malaria decision analysis support tool (MDAST). METHODS: Country-specific stakeholder engagement activities using structured questionnaires were carried out in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The survey respondents were drawn from a non-random purposeful sample of stakeholders, targeting individuals in ministries and non-governmental organizations whose policy decisions and actions are likely to have an impact on the status of malaria. Summary statistics across the three countries are presented in aggregate. RESULTS: Important findings aggregated across countries included a belief that donor preferences and agendas were exerting too much influence on malaria policies in the countries. Respondents on average also thought that some relevant objectives such as engaging members of parliament by the agency responsible for malaria control in a particular country were not being given enough consideration in malaria decision-making. Factors found to influence decisions regarding specific malaria control strategies included donor agendas, costs, effectiveness of interventions, health and environmental impacts, compliance and/acceptance, financial sustainability, and vector resistance to insecticides. CONCLUSION: Malaria control decision-makers in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania take into account health and environmental impacts as well as cost implications of different intervention strategies. Further engagement of government legislators and other policy makers is needed in order to increase funding from domestic sources, reduce donor dependence, sustain interventions and consolidate current gains in malaria.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25107509

1475-2875-13-305

1475-2875

https://hdl.handle.net/10161/9480

eng

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Malar J

10.1186/1475-2875-13-305

Africa, Eastern

Antimalarials

Decision Support Techniques

Health Policy

Humans

Malaria

Policy Making

Factors influencing malaria control policy-making in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Journal article

Kramer, RA|0000-0002-1325-7425

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25107509

305

Duke

Duke Science & Society

Economics

Environmental Sciences and Policy

Global Health Institute

Initiatives

Institutes and Provost's Academic Units

Nicholas School of the Environment

Staff

Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

University Institutes and Centers

Published online

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