Availability and price of malaria rapid diagnostic tests in the public and private health sectors in 2011
Results from 10 nationally representative cross-sectional retail surveys
Abstract
The aim of this study was to describe the state of the public and private malaria diagnostics market shortly after the World Health Organization (WHO) updated its guidelines for testing all suspected malaria cases prior to treatment. 18 months after WHO updated its case management guidelines, RDT (rapid diagnostic test) availability remained poor in the private sector in sub-Saharan Africa. Given the ongoing importance of the private sector as a source of fever treatment, the goal of universal diagnosis will not be achievable under current circumstances. These results constitute national baselines against which progress in scaling-up diagnostic tests can be assessed.
Citation
Poyer, S., Shewchuk, T., Tougher, S., Ye, Y., The ACTwatch Group, Mann, A. G., Willey, B. A., Thomson, R., Amuasi, J. H., Ren, R., Wamukoya, M., Taylor, M., Nguah, S. B., Mberu, B., Kalolella, A., Juma, E., Festo, C., Johanes, B., Diap, G., Bruxvoort, K., Ansong, D., Hanson, K., Arnold, F. and Goodman, C. (2015), Availability and price of malaria rapid diagnostic tests in the public and private health sectors in 2011: results from 10 nationally representative cross-sectional retail surveys. Trop Med Int Health, 20: 744–756. doi:10.1111/tmi.12491