Mass drug administration for malaria elimination: do we understand the settings well enough?

Abstract

Abstract Mass drug administration (MDA) of antimalarials has re-emerged as a recommended tool for interrupting malaria transmission, but evidence from low endemicity settings is scarce. A trial in Zanzibar found that two rounds of MDA made no significant impact on malaria incidence, and many questions on the optimal mode and setting for implementing MDA remain unanswered. A more thorough understanding of local sources and drivers of transmission, and a better toolbox for evaluating interventions in near-elimination settings are essential. Please see related research article: https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-018-1202-8.

Keywords

• Mass drug administration
• Malaria
• Malaria elimination
• Low transmission
• Ongoing transmission
• Effectiveness