Constraints and Challenges of Local Operationalization of the National Leishmaniasis Control Program by Health Professionals: A Pioneer Study in Morocco | Chapter 02 | Emerging Trends in Disease and Health Research Vol. 6

 Background: The goal of this study is to examine health professionals' understanding of leishmaniasis in order to establish the strengths and weaknesses in local leishmaniasis control efforts, as well as to identify the factors that contribute to underreporting of cases. This study also aims to reveal health professionals' understanding of leishmaniasis, as well as their role in the program's peripheral management and their experiences with leishmaniasis patients. Morocco wants to be free of leishmaniasis by 2030. These conditions can be cutaneous or visceral, and they constitute a major public health concern. These parasites are being fought as part of a statewide leishmaniasis control effort that includes free treatment. On the other hand, the screening rate in public health facilities does not exceed 35%.

Objective: To contribute to the analysis and understanding of the factors that contribute to underreporting and the development of scientific recommendations to improve leishmaniasis screening and control activities, determine the knowledge and experience of social actors directly involved in the fight against leishmaniasis.

Methods: During April and May 2019, we performed an exploratory survey among all health professionals working in public health structures in the province of ELHajeb in central Morocco, using a self-administered questionnaire.

The majority of health professionals had an excellent understanding of the clinical indicators of each variety of leishmaniasis, but they had incorrect information about the disease's true vector, reservoirs, and mechanism of transmission. Only 17 percent got ongoing education whereas 76 percent were aware of the national leishmaniasis control programme. The curative parts of the programme were the emphasis of 85 percent of these specialists. Patients do not adhere to antileishmaniasis treatment in 47% of cases, and the populace uses the term "Hboub of Chniwla" to refer to cutaneous leishmaniasis in 25% of cases.

Conclusion: The study found that operationalizing the leishmaniases control program's operations reveals some flaws that explain the underscreening of cases. Improvement of this condition necessitates the establishment of ongoing caregiver training and citizen awareness-raising activities that should focus on the route of transmission, reservoir prevention, sand flies bites, and detection of lesions utilising the disease's popular names as a starting point.

Author(S) Details

K. El-Mouhdi
Scientific Institute, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco and ISPITS-Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Technics Meknes, Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Morocco.

A. Chahlaoui
Natural Resources Management and Development Team, Laboratory of Health and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco.

M. Fekhaoui
Scientific Institute, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco.

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