Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPTc) for Seasonal Malaria Transmission-An Opinion

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends seasonal malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) against falciparum malaria, which is “effective, cost-effective, safe, and feasible for the prevention of malaria among children less than five years of age in areas with highly seasonal malaria transmission”. Due to tropical monsoon (rainy season followed by dry season), hilly forests with the river, Bangladesh is an ideal setting for seasonal malaria transmission, especially in Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) districts. Intermittent Preventive Treatment in children (IPTc) has been successfully implemented in West African countries that prevent three-quarter of all clinical malaria episodes. Bangladesh has a similar context in terms of climate, malaria species, and structure of the health system are similar to these African countries. So, IPTc can be applicable in Bangladesh along with the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP). But need to secure consistent funding ensure good management of drugs supply, storage, and delivery.