"We witnessed medicines help our children, then we became proud": experiences and acceptability of seasonal malaria chemoprevention in Aweil, South Sudan.

Background: Malaria remains a significant public health concern, particularly in resource-constrained settings and regions affected by ongoing humanitarian crises, such as Northen Bahr el Ghazal in South Sudan. For successful implementation and uptake of malaria interventions, it is important to understand community perceptions in these contexts. Therefore, we present the findings of the qualitative study examining the feasibility of implementing seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) and acceptability of the intervention by the community in this complex setting.

Methods: Five monthly cycles of SMC with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plus amodiaquine were distributed to children aged 3-59 months in Aweil South county, in Northen Bahr el Gazal. Following the completion of the fifth SMC cycle a qualitative study was conducted to understand perspective on SMC acceptability. Data were collected through key informant interviews with community leaders and other stakeholders at the county and national level and focus group discussions with caregivers of children aged 3-59 months and Boma Health Workers. Data were coded using inductive and deductive approaches.

Results: Among the 97 participants, there was high acceptability of SMC. Factors reported that positively influenced acceptability included the perceived effectiveness of SMC in preventing malaria, the door-to-door delivery strategy and the use of trusted Boma Health Workers to deliver SMC. However, challenges reported as affecting feasibility included environmental barriers, inadequate remuneration for Boma Health Workers, and difficulties reaching all eligible children. Stakeholders also expressed a desire for SMC continuation and expansion, emphasizing the positive economic impact.

Conclusion: This study provides crucial insights into factors influencing acceptability of SMC in a fragile setting, which can be used to refine community engagement strategies for SMC and generate guidelines for optimizing SMC in similar challenging contexts.