Table 5 Summary of recommendations to improve RASR strategy in Vietnam
RASR step | Issues | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|
Overall | Overwhelming assignment of multiple health programmes to commune and district levels FHSPs superposed by limited support to execute RASR | Provision of financial incentive and transportation assistance to FHSPs |
Overall | No comprehensive mobile phone application for the whole continuum of RASR to be used by FHSPs | Development and deployment of a comprehensive RASR application that includes all the steps of RASR to FHSPs |
Case notification | Delaying in notification of malaria cases detected outside the village where there was no mobile phone and internet network coverage | Filling in the eCDS—MMS offline and traveling (with the financial support of National Malaria Programme) to the location where there is internet access for synchronization of the application daily or on the alternative days |
Case investigation | Miscommunications between malaria patient and FHSP as well as between FHSPs in case investigation | Establishment of proper appointment system for case investigation |
Case investigation | Unable to trace down and contact the index cases | Inclusion of GPS data in the “Malaria case reporting and case investigation” Form, and supporting FHSPs and VHWs with GPS technology and training |
Focus investigation | No specified and detailed guidelines for RACD | Development and field testing of optimal RACD strategies that cover both hot spots and hot pops |
Focus investigation | Existing tools used in RACD only detect clinical malaria cases | Deployment of PCR technology to the district level health facilities |