Malaria remains endemic throughout Burkina Faso, with transmission peaking during the rainy season from July to September. School-age children between 5 and 14 years old experience a particularly high burden of infection. In areas of intense transmission, up to 70 percent of school-aged children may carry malaria parasites, contributing significantly to ongoing transmission. In 2022 alone, Burkina Faso recorded more than 11.6 million malaria cases, including over 539,000 severe cases and more than 4,200 deaths. In the Bogodogo district, where the community of Koubri is located, hundreds of thousands of cases are reported annually, including a substantial proportion among children aged 5–14.
The rural community of Koubri faces environmental conditions that increase malaria risk, including numerous water reservoirs that create ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes. While national malaria interventions exist, there have been limited data and few targeted interventions specifically focused on school-aged children in this area. This project was designed to address that gap by combining screening, treatment, awareness, and education to improve children’s health, school attendance, and overall educational outcomes.
Nurses conduct malaria screening for students following an awareness session, using rapid diagnostic tests on school grounds.
Project Objectives
The project aims to improve the health status, school attendance, and educational performance of students aged 5–15 years in Koubri. Specifically, the initiative seeks to:
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Conduct malaria screening for 1,500 primary school students twice per year.
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Detect and treat cases of uncomplicated malaria in accordance with national guidelines.
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Organize awareness sessions for students, teachers, and parents on malaria prevention.
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Develop a civic education module on malaria for classroom instruction.
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Host a community-wide malaria conference.
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Increase community visibility of Rotary’s malaria efforts through printed materials and public events.
The project builds on a previous MPI-supported grant that equipped the Koubri Medical Center with microscopes and diagnostic tools, which are now being used to support clinical examinations and microscopic confirmation of malaria and anemia in school children.
Implementation - Approach & Activities
Implementation includes securing ethics committee approval and Ministry of Health authorization, holding information meetings with teachers and parents, and conducting an official launch ceremony with district leadership and health authorities.
At the school level, teams of nurses and lab technicians conduct awareness sessions followed by rapid diagnostic testing (RDT) and microscopic confirmation. Children who test positive receive immediate treatment in accordance with national malaria guidelines. A second round of screening is planned six months later to monitor recurrence and detect new cases.
The project also includes developing a malaria civic education module for classroom integration, printing communication materials (100 t-shirts, 10 flyers, 2 banners, posters, and billboards), and organizing a community malaria conference expected to engage approximately 300 participants.
Progress to Date
Prior to implementation, an original study protocol was formally submitted to the Institutional Bioethics Committee of the National Institute of Public Health for review. The protocol was examined, commented on, and approved, and authorization was obtained through appropriate Ministry of Health channels. This ensured that data collection, screening procedures, and treatment activities complied with national ethical and regulatory standards.
Several preparatory coordination meetings were conducted to align roles and responsibilities among key stakeholders. These included the Rotary Malaria Commission of Burkina Faso, the Permanent Secretariat for Malaria Elimination (SP/Malaria), the Koubri Medical Center, the Koubri basic education district, school administrators, parents’ representatives, and local traditional authorities. An official launch ceremony was held with participation from Rotary District 9101 leadership, national malaria representatives, health officials, teachers, and community members to formally initiate the project.
Screening and treatment activities have been conducted in two rounds to date. In June 2025, 1,298 children were enrolled, followed by a second round in October 2025 enrolling 1,500 children. At each participating school, malaria awareness sessions were conducted for students, teachers, and parents prior to screening activities. Testing was carried out using rapid diagnostic tests, with additional laboratory support provided through microscopic examination at the Koubri Medical Center. Children who tested positive for uncomplicated malaria received treatment in accordance with national guidelines.
Screening activities were supported by trained nurses and laboratory technicians, with collaboration from the Institute for Health Sciences Research (IRSS), the Koubri Medical Center, and participating school staff. In addition to malaria detection, the project incorporates measurement of anemia, recognizing malaria as a contributing factor to pediatric anemia.
The civic education module on malaria has been developed to support classroom-based learning and reinforce prevention messages beyond screening days. Communication materials, including 100 t-shirts, 10 flyers, and 2 banners, were produced and used during launch and implementation activities to increase visibility and reinforce malaria prevention messaging within the community.
A community-wide malaria conference, designed to engage approximately 300 participants including community leaders, women’s groups, youth groups, and health workers, is scheduled for June 2026.
National malaria representative alongside members of the screening team during project implementation.
Information session with teachers and parent representatives to explain the project objectives and screening procedures.