Re-analysis of 201 1 liberia malaria indicator survey data to provide project-level iptp, itn and malaria treatment estimates: Rebuilding basic health services project

Abstract

Malaria is one of many components addressed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Rebuilding Basic Health Services (RBHS) project. According to the 2011 Liberia Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) report, 50% of pregnant women received the recommended two doses of intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp) for malaria during their last pregnancy, though project records were showing coverage of 80%.The discrepancy led USAID to question the project, which in turn led to a reanalysis of 2011 MIS data. Despite limitations in generalizing the findings, the exercise proved to be a beneficial and cost-effective evaluation method, and the analysis was expanded to include prevalence, diagnosis and prompt treatment of children with fever, and of mosquito net usage by children under 5 years of age and by pregnant women. This paper describes the methods, findings and the benefits and limitations in using secondary survey data to provide project-level coverage estimates.