Unit | Health Interventions

Since 2002, Swiss TPH has been supporting the Tanzanian National Malaria Control Programme with research, technical advice and direct implementation support, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) A strong feature of this pioneering partnership has been the synergies created between our research and the translation of findings into programme activities. Examples include the large-scale implementation of Insecticide Treated Nets, and the malaria risk stratification that informs a locally tailored control strategy. Read more about TEMT

Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) has been implemented in Benin since 2019 and targeted more than 400,000 children under 5 in 2021 in the northern departments of Alibori and Atacora. Benin considered extending SMC either demographically to children from 5 to 10, or geographically to children under 5 in other eligible zones. Context-specific evidence was needed to decide between both extensions and in which zones SMC should be implemented first. The two extensions of SMC were simulated using OpenMalaria. Read more about Analytics and Intervention Modelling

Efforts to eliminate malaria in the islands of Zanzibar require a surveillance system that allows detecting and classifying malaria infections in the community, including asymptomatic cases. Jointly with collaborators in Tanzania and the US, we investigated the effectiveness of the current surveillance system with a combination of field surveys, mathematical modelling, and population genomics. We work closely with the Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Programme to help translating findings into programmatic practice. Read more about Malaria Epidemiology and Control

Severe childhood malaria requires prompt and effective treatment. The WHO recommends rectal artesunate (RAS) as pre-referral treatment for young children who live far from clinics in which injectable treatment is available. We worked with partners in DR Congo, Nigeria and Uganda to establish the effect of introducing rectal artesunate in routine clinical practice. The observational study involved over 13’000 severely ill children and identified key health systems constraints to an effective use of RAS in remote rural areas. Read more about CARAMAL

MaModAfrica PhD Training School equips PhD students with an understanding of the principles of malaria modeling. The training school is expected to nurture collaborative networks among students and craft the path forward in the landscape of malaria modeling using the diverse database and platforms built by the countries NMCP. Swiss TPH is part of the consortium led by the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences Rwanda developing the curricula in modeling, offering courses and supervision.  Read more about the MaMod PhD Training School

Malaria Indicator Surveys (MIS) provide essential data on malaria infection prevalence and coverage with malaria interventions in the community. We have supported the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research in the implementation and analysis of several national MIS. The latest MIS was conducted in 2022-2023; data from over 14’000 individuals was collected electronically and managed locally. Our expertise in malaria surveys is applicable in a wide range of settings and research projects. Read more about MIS