Angola community case management

Integrated community case management (ICCM) for common childhood illnesses (malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea) is being introduced through ADECOS – Senior Agentes de Desenvolvimento Sanitário e Comunitário. This is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Territorial Administration (MAT) through the Social Support Fund (FAS) and the Ministry of Health (MOH).

The policy is in the implementation and expansion phase, with 2145 ADECOS nationwide – 1185 of whom had been trained in malaria case management by September 2019.

The main objectives of the ADECOS are to increase community awareness of health prevention interventions, such as basic malaria prevention activities (e.g., use of ITNs, early treatment-seeking, and compliance with diagnostic outcomes), as well as vaccination, improved sanitation, and access to safe water.

The Ministry of Territorial Administration’s 3-month long ADECOS curriculum includes limited training on providing basic services, including testing with RDTs and administering ACTs for uncomplicated malaria. Severe malaria cases should be referred to the nearest health facility. ADECOS are linked to municipal health centers, where integrated health teams are responsible for performing routine supervision. Salaries and operational costs of the ADECOS are paid by the Ministry of Territorial Administration.

Although ADECOS is the platform for iCCM inclusive of diarrhoea and pneumonia, currently only malaria components are supported with commodities.

According to national policy, each ADECOS worker is responsible for a micro-area – a delimited geographical space of households of 100 to 250 families or approximately 2,400 to 4,000 people. Certified ADECOS are covering approximately 1900 families, representing more than 272,000 people at the community level.

Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)

IMCI is progressively being introduced into Angola at health facility level and scaling up of activities is ongoing in all provinces.

Rectal Artesunate Use

  • Country guidelines recommend artesunate rectal capsules (ARC) for all ages;
  • Little to no training for rectal artesunate has been offered nationally.