Adding rapid diagnostic tests to community‐based programmes for treating malaria

Authors: Elizabeth N Allen, Alison Beriliy Wiyeh, Michael McCaul

This review’s objective was to evaluate community-based management strategies for treating malaria or fever that incorporate both a definitive diagnosis with a malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) and appropriate antimalarial treatment. Researchers utilized eight different databases and three trials registered up to September 14, 2021, alongside studies with people living in malaria-endemic areas of the world. Programmes that train CHWs and drug shop vendors to perform mRDTs and provide appropriate treatment were compared with similar programmes that do not use mRDTs and with routine health facility care. The results of this study suggest that CHWs and drug shop vendors can effectively utilize mRDTs for community-based malaria diagnosis and prescription of antimalarials outside facility-based clinical settings.