. 2023 Jul 5;12(1):63.

doi: 10.1186/s40249-023-01115-x.

Seasonal malaria chemoprevention in Africa and China's upgraded role as a contributor: a scoping review

Ming Xu^#^{1

2}, Yun-Xuan Hu^#^{1

2}, Shen-Ning Lu³, Muhammad Abdullahi Idris⁴, Shu-Duo Zhou^{1

2}, Jian Yang^{1

2}, Xiang-Ning Feng^{1

2}, Yang-Mu Huang^{1

2}, Xian Xu⁵, Ying Chen^{6

7}, Duo-Quan Wang^{8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Haidian District, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China.
² Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China.
³ National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research On Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Physiotherapy Department Federal Medical Center, Zamfara State, Gusau, Nigeria.
⁵ Anhui Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hefei, China.
⁶ Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Haidian District, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China. chenying0206@126.com.
⁷ Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China. chenying0206@126.com.
⁸ National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research On Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China. wangdq@nipd.chinacdc.cn.
⁹ School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. wangdq@nipd.chinacdc.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 37403183
PMCID: PMC10320994
DOI: 10.1186/s40249-023-01115-x

Seasonal malaria chemoprevention in Africa and China's upgraded role as a contributor: a scoping review

Ming Xu et al. Infect Dis Poverty. 2023.

. 2023 Jul 5;12(1):63.

doi: 10.1186/s40249-023-01115-x.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Haidian District, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China.
² Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China.
³ National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research On Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Physiotherapy Department Federal Medical Center, Zamfara State, Gusau, Nigeria.
⁵ Anhui Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hefei, China.
⁶ Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Haidian District, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China. chenying0206@126.com.
⁷ Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China. chenying0206@126.com.
⁸ National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research), NHC Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research On Tropical Diseases, Shanghai, China. wangdq@nipd.chinacdc.cn.
⁹ School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. wangdq@nipd.chinacdc.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 37403183
PMCID: PMC10320994
DOI: 10.1186/s40249-023-01115-x

Abstract

Background: Children under five are the vulnerable population most at risk of being infected with Plasmodium parasites, especially in the Sahel region. Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) recommended by World Health Organization (WHO), has proven to be a highly effective intervention to prevent malaria. Given more deaths reported during the COVID-19 pandemic than in previous years due to the disruptions to essential medical services, it is, therefore, necessary to seek a more coordinated and integrated approach to increasing the pace, coverage and resilience of SMC. Towards this end, fully leverage the resources of major players in the global fight against malaria, such as China could accelerate the SMC process in Africa.

Methods: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase for research articles and the Institutional Repository for Information Sharing of WHO for reports on SMC. We used gap analysis to investigate the challenges and gaps of SMC since COVID-19. Through the above methods to explore China's prospective contribution to SMC.

Results: A total of 68 research articles and reports were found. Through gap analysis, we found that despite the delays in the SMC campaign, 11.8 million children received SMC in 2020. However, there remained some challenges: (1) a shortage of fully covered monthly courses; (2) lack of adherence to the second and third doses of amodiaquine; (3) four courses of SMC are not sufficient to cover the entire malaria transmission season in areas where the peak transmission lasts longer; (4) additional interventions are needed to consolidate SMC efforts. China was certified malaria-free by WHO in 2021, and its experience and expertise in malaria elimination can be shared with high-burden countries. With the potential to join the multilateral cooperation in SMC, including the supply of quality-assured health commodities, know-how transfer and experience sharing, China is expected to contribute to the ongoing scale-up of SMC.

Conclusions: A combination of necessary preventive and curative activities may prove beneficial both for targeted populations and for health system strengthening in the long run. More actions are entailed to promote the partnership and China can be one of the main contributors with various roles.

Keywords: China’s contribution; Malaria; Multilateral partnership; Prevention; Seasonal malaria chemoprevention.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interest.

Figures

**Fig. 1**
Global trends in malaria case incidence and mortality rate; a Malaria cases per 1000 population at risk; b Malaria deaths per 100,000 population at risk; Source: World Health Organization estimate

**Fig. 2**
Total number of the research articles searching through PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase

**Fig. 3**
The flow diagram of the research articles selection process

**Fig. 4**
Average number of children treated with SMC per cycle, by year, in countries implementing SMC, 2012–2021. SMC: Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention

**Fig. 5**
Histogram of export countries of SPAQ-CO of Guilin Pharma in 2019–2021; *Countries that SMC had been implemented. SPAQ-CO: Combined packaging of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and amodiaquine; SMC: Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention

**Fig. 6**
Histogram of export clients of SPAQ-CO of Guilin Pharma in 2019–2021; SPAQ-CO: Combined packaging of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and amodiaquine; GHSC-PSM: Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management; IDA: International Development Association; IMRES: IMRES B.V.; MSF: Médecins Sans Frontières; PFSCM: Partnership for Supply Chain Management; PSI: Population Service International; UNICEF: United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund

**Fig. 7**
Strengthened China’s Capacity and Roles in Global Health through Malaria Elimination; AFRO/WPRO/SERO: Africa Regional Office/Western Pacific Regional Office/Southeast Regional Office; Africa CDC:Africa Centers for Disease Control; APMEN: Asia–Pacific Malaria Elimination Network; E8:Eight countries Eliminate malaria; NMCP: National Malaria Control Programme; WHO: World Health Organization; PMI: The President’s Malaria Initiative; BMGF: Bill Melinda Gates Foundation; NGO: Non-Governmental Organizations; GMP: Good Manufacturing Practice; GFATM: Global Fund to fight Aids Tuberculosis and Malaria; TDR: Tropical Disease Research; RBM: Roll Back Malaria; MMV: Medicines for Malaria Venture

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Seasonal malaria chemoprevention in Africa and China's upgraded role as a contributor: a scoping review

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Seasonal malaria chemoprevention in Africa and China's upgraded role as a contributor: a scoping review

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