Evaluation of the AMT2ACT Programme (2013-2016)

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Client

DFID

Myanmar

3 years

N/A

£592,263

Drug resistant malaria is a recent threat to the Greater Mekong sub-region and malaria endemic countries at large, and is especially prevalent in Myanmar.
DFID’s Artemisinin Monotherapy Replacement Programme (AMTR), implemented by Population Services International (PSI), was one of a number of interventions aimed at containing the spread of resistance.
AMTR replaced malaria monotherapies (AMTs), known to contribute to resistance, with combination therapies (ACTs) in private pharmaceutical and health centres in Myanmar, through supply chain subsidies and deliveries.
It also included a behavioural change component, aimed at ensuring customers/patients recognise ACTs and demand them from private sector suppliers.

Montrose carried out a three-year independent evaluation of DFID Myanmar’s Artemisinin Monotherapy Replacement Programme, which aims to replace malaria monotherapy drugs in the private sector to support the containment of drug resistant malaria in Myanmar and the Greater Mekong sub-region.
A Montrose / Tropical Health team of international malaria, epidemiology, private sector health provision, supply chain and value for money experts teamed up with Myanmar national medical doctors for a series of research visits to Myanmar over the course of the evaluation.
The evaluation assessed the effectiveness of the outputs achieved, for example: the replacement of monotherapy drugs in the private sector; the introduction of diagnosis and testing in the informal private sector; and behaviour change strategies aimed at encouraging patients to use new combination therapy drugs
It assessed whether and to what level the outcome targets have been achieved, and the value for money of the programme in delivering its outputs and outcomes.
The evaluation also identified, documented and disseminated lessons learnt for wider interest where results have or have not been achieved.

The evaluation produced six-monthly monitoring and value for money reports for DFID Myanmar. In addition, a series of publishable papers have been produced on a number of strategic issues. These papers cover the following topics:

Five of these papers were launched at a major meeting of stakeholders which included government, development agencies, NGOs, researchers, corporate sector, private providers and civil society on 1 April 2015 in Yangon. They can be found here: