High adherence to malaria treatment: promising results of an adherence study in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Background In resource-poor settings, treatment adherence is a major determinant of response to anti-malarial drugs as most are taken at home without medical supervision. Evidence on adherence to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is limited. The study aimed to measure adherence and identify reasons for non-adherence to a 3-day, fixed-dose combination (FDC) of artesunate–amodiaquine (ASAQ), the first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria in the Medecins Sans Frontieres project in the Shabunda Health Zone, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, a highly malarious and conflict-affected area.