What is mass drug administration?

Sightsavers works with thousands of local volunteers to distribute millions of donated treatments and protect people from disease.

Mass drug administration (MDA) involves giving treatment to an entire population or every person in a geographical area. This means that all eligible people, whether they are infected or not, receive the treatment.

MDAs are vital to help control and eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). They ensure that those who are infected are treated, and that those who aren’t are protected from future infection.

Since 2016, more than a billion people a year have been treated via MDA. Here you can read about the key steps to a successful MDA.

1. Identify where treatment is needed

Sightsavers works with countries to identify where treatment is needed using mapping surveys. Examples include the Tropical Data project, which helps countries carry out surveys as they work towards eliminating trachoma; and the Onchocerciasis Elimination Mapping Project, to map the spread of river blindness.

Both use smartphone technology to collect data to pinpoint exactly where programmes are needed.

3. Train volunteers to give treatments

Local volunteers are nominated by their communities: many have experienced how NTDs affect lives and understand their community’s customs. They are taught about the diseases, and are trained to distribute the treatment.

This community-focused approach means the communities themselves are at the centre of efforts to combat NTDs, ensuring long-term and sustainable solutions.

5. Distribute the treatments

Communities are notified that an MDA will be happening and are advised to stay near their homes. Treatments are often distributed at a central point, such as a school, but volunteers will also go house to house to ensure they reach everybody.

During MDAs, volunteers can walk several miles a day to deliver treatment. They keep a record of treatments given in log books: if they miss anyone, they arrange follow-up visits to try and reach them. This means that even in hard-to-reach rural areas, Sightsavers is able to protect those most in need.