Evaluating a Transition to Government Ownership of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminth Control Programs

Research question

The overarching research question for this project was: “What is the impact of mainstreaming on the deworming program in four districts in Nigeria?” The question was addressed through three objectives:

  1. Objective 1: Transition schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth treatment programs to the primary health care system or routine health services in select districts currently supported by The Carter Center.
  2. Objective 2: Evaluate the effects of transitioning the program to full government ownership by comparing treatment coverage among the target population before and after the transition to the primary health care system or routine health services to evaluate the success of the transition, supplementing the results with qualitative data. 
  3. Objective 3: Develop recommendations based on study findings to inform schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths transition plans for other districts and states in Nigeria.

Outcomes

Lessons Learned 

  • Country-based staff and partners may view international NGOs as being wholly responsible for a campaign when the international NGO may view their role as offering technical assistance; different perspectives are important to appreciate early on in a transition of campaign ownership/ mainstreaming.
  • Through participatory exercises in the focus groups, we identified points in the MDA process that are particularly prone to failure and need greater attention to be successful in maintaining access to treatment.
  • Access to treatment is the main barrier to good coverage of a campaign, especially when being mainstreamed to country ownership.

See full coverage of the study at: https://campaigneffectiveness.org/research_project/evaluating-a-transition-to-government-ownership-of-schistosomiasis-and-soil-transmitted-helminth-control-programs