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Table 3 Policy actions to address barriers of access to prompt and effective malaria treatment.

From: Barriers to prompt and effective malaria treatment among the poorest population in Kenya

Short to medium term interventions

Affordability factors

Acceptability factors

Availability factors

Broader health system factors

• Provide ACTs through the retail sector

• Re-enforce the free malaria treatment policy in public health facilities

• Educate people on the free malaria treatment policy

• Improve communication skills for health workers

• Educate community on the importance of drug adherence

• Strengthen transparency and accountability of health services to the community (e.g. making information on resources readily accessible to the community through their representatives)

• Extend operating hours for dispensaries and health centres to include weekends

• Improve management skills for health workers and health facility committees

• Ensure sustained supply of anti-malarials, adjust supply for seasonality

• Provide housing facilities for health workers working at primary care level in remote rural areas

• Recruit more health workers in primary care facilities

• Take services close to the people through mobile clinics and outreach programmes

• Improve overall availability of drugs and other supplies

Long term interventions

• Remove user fees in public health facilities

• Provide social protection for the poor and vulnerable through strengthening livelihoods

• Build culturally sensitive health systems (educate health workers on need to respect clients and be sensitive to their needs)

• Empower clients to demand good health services through information and communication at grass root level

• Build additional primary health care facilities in remote areas

• Increase the number of health workers in rural remote areas to at least two health workers per facility

• Address the problem of health workers shortage

• Improve organization and administration of service, for example through packaging services in way that minimizes waiting time

• Improve the organization and working culture of the public health system