Dowa approves study on NCD guidelines
The study will be implemented by the Paediatrics Child Health Association (PACHA) across four Central Hospitals and six pilot districts in Malawi, including Dowa.
Dowa, Malawi -The Dowa District executive committee has approved an Interrupted Time Series (ITS) Study to assess the impact of new paediatric Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) guidelines, writes Vincent Gunde.
The study will be implemented by the Paediatrics Child Health Association (PACHA) across four Central Hospitals and six pilot districts in Malawi, including Dowa.
The study is set to encompass not only Central Hospitals but also district hospitals in Nkhatabay, Mchinji, Dowa, Phalombe, Mwanza, Mulanje, and Nsanje, along with one health centre under each district hospital.
Its primary objective is to identify gaps in the quality of care and service delivery concerning the management of paediatric non-communicable diseases, thereby shedding light on the local burden of NCDs in Malawi.
PACHA's Program Manager, Chifundo Mchawa, introduced the study during a meeting held at the Boma in Dowa with the District Executive Committee (Dec).
She highlighted that the research would focus on the population through carers and healthcare providers in the pilot districts.
"The objective of the study is to investigate the change in healthcare provision for paediatric patients with NCDs before and after the implementation of the proposed guidelines and training," Mchawa explained.
Recent statistics from Malawi have revealed that children and adolescents now face emerging threats from NCDs.
The Interrupted Time Series (ITS) Study incorporates a mixed-methods approach to collect data on NCD burdens at the facilities, data related to quality care, healthcare interviews about NCDs, and treatment.
To ensure comprehensive data collection, Mchawa announced that ten data collectors would be trained to use structured questionnaires uploaded onto tablets at pilot district hospitals, health centres, and central hospitals.
The study's timeline includes data collection from September to December 2023 for pre-intervention data and from January to June 2026 for post-intervention data.
"All data will be well secured and treated with confidentiality. Data collected will be stored on Kobo Toolbox cloud servers linked to Power BI for real-time visual dashboards," emphasised Mchawa.
Dr. Peter Makoza, Director of Health and Social Services in Dowa, expressed the need for collaboration between health partners in the district and PACHA to ensure the successful implementation of the study, emphasising its importance for the community.
PACHA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Witten/Herdecke University, will undertake this interrupted time series study to measure the impact of NCD guidelines in the six pilot districts, funded by EKFS of Germany.