Effect of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention in Children Between 5 and 9 years Old in Kita and Bafoulabe Districts, Mali

Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) has been widely expanded in Mali since its recommendation by the World Health Organization in 2012. SMC guidelines currently target children between three months and five years of age. The SMC initiative has been largely successful. Children at least five years of age are not currently covered by current SMC guidelines but bear a considerable portion of the malaria burden. For this reason, this study sought to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of extending SMC to children aged 5–9 years.