Burkina Faso has witnessed an alarming rise in malaria cases, exceeding 12 million in 2021 according to a Ministry of Health report (in French). To address this public health concern, MAÏA Africa SAS developed Maïa, an anti-mosquito ointment effective for eight hours of protection after application. This innovation was the subject of a randomized impact evaluation piloted by Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), called the Dimoro project. This project is made possible by Elodie Djemai and Yohan Renard from Université Paris Dauphine, Burkina Faso's Institut Recherche en Science de la Santé and Maia Africa SAS, with financial support from the Fund for Innovation in Development (FID) of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

IPA and its partners shared the research findings of the Dimoro project aimed at measuring the impact of the Maia ointment on malaria prevalence among young children in Burkina Faso. This dissemination workshop was attended by a diverse set of stakeholders, including representatives from state and non-state institutions, research institutes, and beneficiaries committed to malaria prevention.

Aliou Diallo, Research Manager at IPA Burkina Faso, outlined the 18-month duration of the Dimoro project, highlighting intervention areas and the estimated 3,120 households impacted by this public health intervention. The study also included follow-up surveys and blood sampling for malaria testing. Dr. Christian Bernard Kompaoré, the Permanent Secretary for Malaria Elimination institution, amplified the importance of preventing malaria and advocated to eliminate the disease in Burkina Faso by 2030.

This evidence-based study revealed the significant impact of Maïa ointment as an efficacious alternative for malaria prevention through the following: 1) growing adoption of the ointment by beneficiary households, indicating a positive behavioral shift; and 2) ointment serves as an effective complement to existing preventative measures such as the use of impregnated mosquito nets. Furthermore, Maïa ointment showcased how evidence-based research and collaborative efforts can shape the malaria prevention and public health efforts in Burkina Faso and the West African sub-region.