Improving WHO's malaria guideline development and dissemination processes
In May 2018, the WHO Global Malaria Programme (GMP) launched an extensive review of the Organization’s processes for developing and disseminating recommendations on malaria. The overall objective is to deliver timely, high quality recommendations to malaria-endemic countries through processes that are more transparent, consistent, efficient and predictable.
This initiative gathered input from a broad range of stakeholders, seeking to better understand the needs and perceived bottlenecks. A number of areas requiring improvement were identified, such as a perceived lack of transparency, inconsistencies in review standards, and lengthy timelines.
With support and input from the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG), GMP’s highest level advisory body, several steps were identified to address the issues identified.
Work is ongoing to implement the proposed changes. This section of the website dedicated to the malaria recommendation pathway presents some of the changes that are being made to improve WHO's guideline development systems. This effort is a work in progress.
Development of WHO guidelines for malaria
WHO malaria recommendations were previously found in 2 published guidelines: the Guidelines for the treatment of malaria, third edition and the Guidelines for malaria vector control. As of February 2021, all current recommendations for malaria can be found in a single resource – the WHO Guidelines for malaria. The consolidated WHO Guidelines for malaria, available on a web-based platform, provide links, where relevant, to the evidence that underpins each recommendation. There is a feedback tab to help identify recommendations that may need an update or further clarification, and inputs from stakeholders are also welcome via email ([email protected]).
The current recommendations on malaria will continue to be reviewed and, where appropriate, updated
based on the latest available evidence through WHO’s transparent and rigorous guidelines review process. Any updated recommendations will always display the date of the most recent revision in the online platform.
Clear, evidence-informed WHO recommendations guide managers of national malaria programmes as they develop polices and strategic plans to combat the disease; they support decisions around “what to do”. WHO also develops implementation guidance – such as operational and field manuals – to advise countries on “how to” deliver the recommended tools and strategies.
The consolidation of WHO’s malaria guidelines is one of a number of actions the Organization has undertaken to make our guidance more accessible to end users in malaria-endemic countries. Our overall aim is to deliver timely, high quality guidance through processes that are more transparent, consistent, efficient and predictable.
Tailoring malaria responses to local contexts
WHO and partners have been moving away in recent years from a “one-size-fits-all” approach to malaria control – recommending instead actions and strategies that are data-driven and tailored to local settings. Through this approach, countries use local data to identify the people who bear the brunt of the disease and then ensure they are reached with an optimal mix of interventions. This approach will help maximize available resources by ensuring efficiency, effectiveness and equity in malaria responses.
While a country’s choice of interventions should be informed by WHO recommendations, global guidance is not intended to be prescriptive. Local data should be used to identify recommendations that are relevant at a country level based on the local context.
Publication
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WHO Guidelines for malaria
Contact us
Input and feedback on our work is very important to us, especially from end-users of malaria recommendations during this transition period. Please email us at [email protected] for more information or to tell us what you think.