Challenges of Sustaining Malaria Community Case Management in 81 Township Hospitals along the China-Myanmar Border Region — Yunnan Province, China, 2020

Ding, Wei; Lu, Shenning; Xu, Qiuli; Ma, Xuejiao; Wang, Bei; Xue, Jingbo; Sun, Xiaodong; Xu, Jianwei; Cotter, Chris; Wang, Duoquan; Guan, Yayi; Xiao, Ning

What is already known on this topic? The health workforce at township hospitals in the China-Myanmar border region has played a key role in sustaining Community case management of malaria (CCMm), while few studies have investigated their performance and challenges. What is added by this report? Sustaining CCMm in the region was subject to the following major challenges: insufficient training on malaria diagnosis and testing, lacking necessary and timely treatment for patients, and risks of instability among the malaria workforce. What are the implications for public health practice? These challenges called for the national and provincial authorities to provide regular trainings and intensive supervision to strengthen malaria diagnosis and treatment capacity in the region and to set up incentive mechanisms and individual career development paths to sustain the workforce.