The effectiveness of the Competence Approach in the struggle against Malaria

What advice can we draw from the experience in Togo to help a country or a region that wants to adopt the Malaria Competence approach ?

Blaise Sedoh offers these suggestions.

• To begin with, the project needs to be executed by one or more people who are convinced of the value of the approach. The people must have operational responsibilities and they must have staff who have been trained in the approach. People in charge of programmes must understand that the Self Assessment is not a replacement for existing programmes, but is a way of coordinating existing ones.
• From the start, the process must be based on community participation and training of community members. That has to be the starting point! And also make sure that field work makes up a part of the training programme.
• Make sure that there are people who concern themselves with coordination and follow up. Keep checking to see what is happening in the field. Give support!