Table 1.
A new approach to planning and implementing MDA—a description of the intervention process
| Intervention stage | Description | Tools produced |
|---|---|---|
| Engaging communities and stakeholders to create action plans for MDA (2017–2018) | The PAR approach developed a new bottom-up approach to planning and implementing MDA that would ensure voices from the community and different stakeholders were captured and represented and that local-level implementers were able to ensure context-specific MDA.6,9 This involved the engagement of co-researchers who were NTD stakeholders from different levels of the health system, federal, state and LGAs to co-develop localised action plans with the aim of increasing equity.5 | Learning packs for school-based deworming and community-based distribution |
| Piloting and evaluating implementation of action plans (2018–2019) | The intervention was piloted and observed across four LGAs through community evaluation of MDA (focus group discussion, problem tree analysis and in-depth interviews) and process (action logs, meeting observations and reports, ethnographic observations) and this was used to inform the development of the PGP. | |
| Developing the PGP as a new approach (2018–2019) | The draft PGP was comprised of four modules and an annex. The PGP provided lessons from the research about stakeholders, structures and mechanisms to engage in MDA and explored differences between urban and rural contexts and different methods to deliver medicines to communities. It also provided information for building partnerships and collaborations with various stakeholders. | • Draft PGP • Action plan templates |
| Scale-up and evaluation across two states (2019–2021) | The draft PGP was scaled up across two states through the establishment of a new working group (established from multilevel health system actors including co-researchers) to lead the process in each state. The working group facilitated the development of the final PGP and other additional participatory tools. Capacity strengthening workshops took place to train NTD implementers on how to apply the tools within their own context. | • Final PGP • Short introductory video • MDA planning video • Costing tool for the PGP • SOPs |