Piloting the global subsidy: the impact of subsidised artemisinin-based combination therapies distributed through private drug shops in rural Tanzania

Completed

Conditions: Malaria
Infections and Infestations
Unspecified malaria

Registration Number: ISRCTN39125414

Lead Sponsor: Tanzanian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (Tanzania)

Brief Summary: Not available

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Completed

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 500

Inclusion Criteria

All consumers purchasing anti-malarials from a private drug shop (duka la dawa baridi) in target districts (no age or gender restrictions).

Exclusion Criteria

1. Consumers purchasing medicines other than anti-malarials from private drug shops
2. Patients obtaining anti-malarials from other sources, including public health facilities, in the target districts

Study & Design

Study Type: Interventional

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
1. Proportion of consumers purchasing anti-malarials at private drug shops that buy ACTs. Measured through exit interviews at all shops in target districts at baseline and four surveys during intervention.<br>2. Price paid for subsidised ACTs and most common alternative anti-malarials by consumers at private drug shops. Measured through exit interviews and the mystery shopper technique at baseline and four times during intervention.<br>3. The total volume of ACTs distributed by private drug shops in the previous month. Measured through retail audits conducted twice during each survey period (once to establish baseline stock level and follow-up to measure change due to sales), including baseline.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
1. Socioeconomic status of consumers purchasing ACT and other anti-malarials at private drug shops as determined through principal component analysis of household assets. Measured through exit interviews of consumers at baseline and four times during intervention.<br>2. Volume of ACTs dispensed by all public and nongovernmental health facilities in target districts during preceding month. Measured through audits of public facilities and NGO health facilities at baseline and four times during intervention.<br>3. Proportion of private drug shops stocking ACTs and alternative anti-malarials. Measured through retail audits at baseline and four times during intervention.<br>4. Geographic location of drug shops and public/NGO health facilities distributing anti-malarials. Measured through recording of GPS coordinates of all drug shops and facilities during each audit using Garmin Etrex hand units.