Reducing malaria transmission in forest-going mobile and migrant populations in Lao PDR and Cambodia: protocol for stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial

Published: September 24, 2022

Citation

Htike, W., Oo, W.H., Lynn, T. et al. Reducing malaria transmission in forest-going mobile and migrant populations in Lao PDR and Cambodia: protocol for stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial. BMC Infect Dis 22, 747 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-022-07724-5

Abstract

Countries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region aim to achieve malaria elimination by 2030. In the region, malaria is concentrated in high-risk areas and populations such as forest-going mobile and migrant populations (MMPs). However, routine protective measures such as long-lasting insecticidal nets do not prevent all infectious bites in these high-risk populations. Evidence for the effectiveness of a personal protection package tailored to forest-going MMPs which is acceptable, feasible, and cost-effective for reducing malaria transmission is required to inform the malaria elimination toolkit in the region.

This study, using a rigorous design and mixed-methods methodology, will evaluate whether a personal protection package can reduce residual malaria transmission among forest-going MMPs in Cambodia and Lao PDR. It will also measure implementation research outcomes such as effectiveness of the intervention package, cost-effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility, in order to inform potential national and regional policy.

Trial registration This trial was prospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05117567) on 11th November 2021