Compliance with malaria chemoprophylaxis programmes in Zimbabwe

Compliance with malaria chemoprophylaxis programmes was studied in the National Railways and two large commercial farm labour forces in Zimbabwe. Prophylaxis was primarily conducted using pyrimethamine/dapsone and the study measured compliance rates through interview and the detection of drug in the urine. Compliance rates as indicated from registers or questioning were not always reliable and were found from urine examination to be in the range of 50-60% for the farm labour force. Annual drug utilization figures also indicated that complete coverage was not being achieved. - The results are discussed in relation to the difficulties involved in implementing malaria prophylaxis programmes. The limited use of large scale chemoprophylaxis is stressed, particularly in the light of increasing drug resistance.