Peer-reviewed article
Community Acceptance of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention in the Prevention of Malaria in Kano State, Nigeria.
Nura Haladu ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5This paper looks at how well families in Kano State, Nigeria accept a program that gives children preventive malaria medicine during the high-risk season, known as seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC). It draws on qualitative evidence about caregivers' attitudes, trust in the health workers who deliver the medicine, and worries about side effects or medicine shortages. Most caregivers see the program as helpful because it reduces malaria cases and saves money on treatment. However, some families are less accepting due to confusion about why the medicine is given, doubts about free drugs, and negative experiences with distributors. The study suggests that trusted community figures, like lead mothers, and better communication can improve acceptance.
Key points
- SMC is generally well accepted by caregivers in Kano communities as a way to reduce malaria episodes and treatment costs.
- Acceptance is not universal; concerns about side effects and misunderstanding of the preventive purpose reduce uptake.
- Doubts about free medicines and occasional medicine shortages weaken community trust in the program.
- Community-based actors such as lead mothers help build trust and communication between households and SMC implementers.
- Sustained acceptance requires culturally appropriate education, reliable supplies, respectful delivery, and ongoing monitoring of concerns.
Limitations
The paper synthesizes existing qualitative evidence rather than presenting new primary data with a clear methodology, so it cannot quantify how acceptance affects actual health outcomes or drug uptake rates.
Abstract
Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) is an important malaria-control intervention designed to protect children living in areas where malaria transmission is highly seasonal. The effectiveness of SMC depends not only on the pharmacological efficacy of the medicines but also on community acceptance, caregiver adherence, trust in medicine distributors, and the quality of programme communication. This paper examines community acceptance of SMC for malaria prevention in Kano State, Nigeria. The study adopts a qualitative empirical research perspective and synthesizes evidence concerning caregivers' attitudes, knowledge, perceived effectiveness, concerns about adverse effects, trust in community drug distributors (CDDs), delivery preferences, and the role of community-based actors. Evidence indicates that SMC is generally well accepted in Kano communities and is perceived by many caregivers as beneficial in reducing malaria episodes and household expenditure on malaria treatment. However, acceptance is not universal. Concerns about side effects, inadequate understanding of the preventive purpose of SMC, doubts about free medicines, medicine shortages, and occasional negative interactions with distributors may reduce uptake. Evidence from Kano also indicates that community-based actors, including lead mothers, can facilitate acceptance by strengthening communication and trust between households and SMC implementers. The paper concludes that sustained community acceptance requires culturally appropriate health education, reliable medicine supplies, respectful door-to-door delivery, stronger involvement of community leaders and local women, and continuous monitoring of adverse events and caregiver concerns.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) delivered by community drug distributors, including door-to-door distribution during high-transmission months
- Population
- Caregivers and children under five in Kano State communities
Key finding
SMC is perceived by many caregivers as beneficial in reducing malaria episodes and household expenditure.
Haladu · OpenAlex · 18 Sept 2026