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National malaria vector control policy: an analysis of the decision to scale-up larviciding in Nigeria

Tesfazghi, Kemi, Hill, Jenny ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1588-485X, Jones, C., Ranson, Hilary ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2332-8247 and Worrall, Eve ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9147-3388 (2015) 'National malaria vector control policy: an analysis of the decision to scale-up larviciding in Nigeria'. Health Policy and Planning, Vol 31, Issue 1, pp. 91-101.

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Abstract

Background

New vector control tools are needed to combat insecticide resistance and reduce malaria transmission. The World Health Organization (WHO) endorses larviciding as a supplementary vector control intervention using larvicides recommended by the WHO Pesticides Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES). The decision to scale-up larviciding in Nigeria provided an opportunity to investigate the factors influencing policy adoption and assess the role that actors and evidence play in the policymaking process, in order to draw lessons that help accelerate the uptake of new methods for vector control.

Methods

A retrospective policy analysis was carried out using in-depth interviews with national level policy stakeholders to establish normative national vector control policy or strategy decision-making processes and compare these with the process that led to the decision to scale-up larviciding. The interviews were transcribed, then coded and analyzed using NVivo10. Data were coded according to pre-defined themes from an analytical policy framework developed a priori.

Results

Stakeholders reported that the larviciding decision-making process deviated from the normative vector control decision-making process. National malaria policy is normally strongly influenced by WHO recommendations, but the potential of larviciding to contribute to national economic development objectives through larvicide production in Nigeria was cited as a key factor shaping the decision. The larviciding decision involved a restricted range of policy actors, and notably excluded actors that usually play advisory, consultative and evidence generation roles. Powerful actors limited the access of some actors to the policy processes and content. This may have limited the influence of scientific evidence in this policy decision.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that national vector control policy change can be facilitated by linking malaria control objectives to wider socioeconomic considerations and through engaging powerful policy champions to drive policy change and thereby accelerate access to new vector control tools.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 600 Insect control. Tick control
QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 650 Insect vectors
WA Public Health > Preventive Medicine > WA 110 Prevention and control of communicable diseases. Transmission of infectious diseases
WA Public Health > Health Administration and Organization > WA 540 National and state health administration
WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 750 Malaria
WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 765 Prevention and control
Faculty: Department: Clinical Sciences & International Health > Clinical Sciences Department
Biological Sciences > Vector Biology Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czv055
Depositing User: Carmel Bates
Date Deposited: 10 Aug 2015 09:18
Last Modified: 30 Aug 2019 17:06
URI: https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/5265

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