Malaria Test Positivity Rates in Health Facilities Supported by the Global Fund in Kinshasa City

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the positivity rates of malaria screening tests for suspected patients and their impact on the supply of management inputs. It was a cross-sectional descriptive study on the structures of care supported by the Global Fund in the city-province of Kinshasa based on a sample which was constituted of 520 patients. The results showed that out of 520 presumed patients, 36.3% were male and 63.7% female. Regarding age group, 179 children aged 0 to 5 years or 34.4% divided into 3 layers according to the prevalence of the disease in the city of Kinshasa. Five hundred and twenty thick drops (TD) were performed including 139 positive (26.7%) and 381 negative ones (73.3%). In children, 54 thick drops (TD) out of 179 (30.1%) were positive. The highest positivity rate was observed in stratum 3 (30.2%). From these results, it should be said that excessively high positivity rates lead to an oversupply of input structures resulting in excess stocks and peremptions. The exact positivity rate should be known throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to better plan and monitor malaria control activities.