Guinea

Country Overview 

Malaria overview  

Malaria is endemic across the whole of Guinea, and over 1 million cases were reported in 2011. The disease is the leading cause of consultation in public health facilities, representing 34% of illness in 2011. A third of all cases occur in children under five years of age, contributing to Guinea’s under five mortality rate of 123 per 1,000. There are significant variations in malaria prevalence in Guinea, ranging from 66% to Faranah 3% in Conakry. 

Which areas of Guinea are eligible for SMC? 

Northern Guinea, with its high overall burden of malaria and short transmission season, is excellently suited to SMC. While malaria transmission of malaria is somewhat lower in Guinea’s coastal regions, it is also highly seasonal and therefore suitable for SMC delivery. Other areas of Guinea are not suitable, since malaria transmission occurs over a period longer than the four months of protection that SMC can offer.   

What is Guinea’s experience with SMC? 

ACCESS-SMC is Guinea’s first experience of SMC implementation.  

ACCESS-SMC in Guinea 

Where in Guinea is SMC being delivered? 

ACCESS-SMC is supporting Guinea’s National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) to deliver SMC to over 250,000 children in six districts of northern Guinea in 2015. These districts are: Gaoual, Koundara, Mali, Tougue, Koubia and Dinguiraye  

When is SMC delivered? 

In Guinea, SMC is delivered to children starting July, with monthly distributions continuing until October.  

How is SMC managed ? 

ACCESS-SMC’s aims to ensure that others are able to continue delivering SMC in target districts once the project finishes. For this reason, we are planning and implementing SMC in close collaboration with the NMCP, regional and district health teams. ACCESS-SMC is supporting each of these levels with technical assistance across a range of areas, as well as logistical and financial support.   

How is SMC administered? 

In Guinea, SMC is delivered over four or five days each month (a ‘cycle’) by  1,261 trained volunteer Community Health Workers (CHWs). CHWs deliver SMC using a ‘Door-to-door’ methodology, in which CHWs travel to the homes of all eligible children in their assigned community each month to administer SMC drugs. Due to the risks posed by the Ebola outbreak, a ‘no touch’ policy is being implemented. CHWs are all based at one of 55 participating health centers.  

How do SMC drugs reach the ‘last mile’? 

ACCESS-SMC works with Pharmacie Centrale de Guinée (PCG) to ensure drugs reach participating health facilities in time for SMC delivery. PCG, with financial support from the project,  carries out storage and transportation of the SMC drugs from the Central Medical Stores in Conakry down to each of the Health Centers. Health centers distribute the SMC drugs to the CHWs each day for them to administer to children. CHWs return unused stock at the end of each day. ACCESS-SMC has developed a logistics management information system (LMIS) to track commodities at each level of the Guinean health system.