Abstract
Malaria is considered a major public health problem in Nigeria, where the disease is endemic and 97% of the population is at risk. The National Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Malaria recommend that all suspected malaria cases receive confirmation by a blood test using microscopy or malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDT). The first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria is the artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) artemether-lumefantrine (AL). Artesunateamodiaquine (ASAQ) is recommended as an alternative first-line treatment. There is a ban in Nigeria on the importation, local production, and distribution of oral artemisinin monotherapy (e.g. artesunate tablets, artemether tablets).
The Nigerian National Malaria Control Strategy relies on a set of proven interventions to reduce the malaria burden and aims to achieve universal and equitable access to malaria prevention and treatment measures. Nigeria was one of the participating malaria-endemic countries in the Affordable Medicines Facility, malaria (AMFm) pilot program. The AMFm aimed to improve the availability and affordability of quality-assured ACT (QAACT) and reduce the availability and use of antimalarial monotherapies including non-artemisinin monotherapies such as SP and chloroquine. First-line buyers in the public and private sectors had access to Global Fund co-paid ACTs from 2010-2013.
The ACTwatch project conducted national antimalarial outlet surveys in Nigeria in 2009, 2011 and 2013. The outlet survey is designed to measure key antimalarial market indicators including antimalarial availability, price, and relative market share.