Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 32 | Published: 06 Oct 2026
Joseph Sam1,&, Emmanuel Asampong1, Harriet Affran Bonful2, Dora Dadzie3, Mahnaz Vahedi4
1Department of Social and Behavioural Science, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana; 2Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana; 3National Malaria Elimination Programme, Ghana; 4Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
&Corresponding author:Joseph Sam, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Email: Jsam013@st.ug.edu.gh, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2770-5391
Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 06 Oct 2026
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Barriers, facilitators, implementation strategies, intermittent preventive treatment for Malaria, school-aged children
©Joseph Sam et al Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Joseph Sam et al., Acceptability and perceived safety of intermittent preventive treatment for school-aged children (IPTsc) in Ghana: Implications for malaria chemoprevention scale-up. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):32. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0032
Intermittent preventive treatment for school-aged children (IPTsc) is a malaria chemoprevention strategy designed to reduce malaria morbidity among school-aged children, a population that increasingly contributes to malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. Although Ghana has added IPTsc into its national malaria strategic plan, evidence on community acceptability and implementation in routine, non-trial settings remains limited. This study explored perceived barriers, facilitators, and preferred implementation strategies for IPTsc among school-aged children, caregivers, and education stakeholders in a high malaria transmission setting in Ghana.
An exploratory qualitative study was conducted in four junior high schools in the Hohoe Municipality, Ghana. Data were collected through five focus group discussions comprising four groups of school-aged children and one group of caregivers. In addition, three key informant interviews were conducted with two headteachers and the Municipal School Health Education Programme Coordinator. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using Attride-Stirling’s thematic network analysis framework.
Key barriers included concerns about the origin and safety of medicines, fear of side effects, administering medication to asymptomatic children, tablet size and taste, and uncertainty regarding programme sustainability. Facilitators included perceived effectiveness in reducing malaria episodes, improved school attendance, reduced household treatment costs, and willingness to support IPTsc when accompanied by adequate community sensitisation. Participants recommended school-based delivery supported by community outreach, administration by trained health professionals, clear communication on medicine administration and adverse effects, and early engagement of parents and caregivers.
Community acceptance of IPTsc was influenced more by concerns about medicine safety, trust, programme delivery, and sustainability than by doubts regarding effectiveness. Addressing these concerns through targeted community engagement, risk communication, and stakeholder involvement may improve uptake and adherence to preventive antimalarial medicines. These findings provide important implementation and pharmacoepidemiological insights for the successful scale-up of IPTsc and other population-based chemoprevention interventions in high-transmission settings.
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