Improving access to malaria prevention and treatment, and surveillance in rural Malawi

The burden of malaria, in especially rural communities, remains high despite effective diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Low coverage and quality of the interventions reduce the outcome and impact of the existing interventions. With the World Health Organisation (WHO) aiming for universal access to malaria diagnosis, treatment and prevention, factors affecting coverage, quality and use the malaria interventions, in especially rural communities which bear the highest burden of the disease, need to be identified and addressed. In addition, areas with high malaria burden and transmission should be identified at a fine geographical scale to inform decision-making. The work in this thesis explores factors affecting access and quality of malaria diagnosis, treatment and prevention in a rural area in Malawi. Novel approaches for monitoring malaria burden and adequacy of treatment are also explored.