Entomological Monitoring Returns to Angola

February 7, 2020

This week’s Fist Bump goes to the VectorLink Angola team for restarting entomological activities in the country in mid-January – the first time since 2016 under the PMI Africa Indoor Residual Spraying Project!  

Though planning discussions began in late 2018, Angola officially joined VectorLink in May 2019. The team successfully overcame challenges over the next several months in recruiting qualified staff to launch and lead entomological collections, as well as to engender interest in entomological data within Angola’s National Malaria Control Program.

Working closely with the PMI and CDC teams from headquarters and the in-country mission over several months, the team developed a realistic plan to collect data from three sites during the peak mosquito season (January-March 2020). The first samples were collected from Huambo, the first site, on January 24. The team will move to the second site in Lunda Sul in mid-February, and wrap up in Luanda about a month later.

Though an external consultant entomologist was brought on board to oversee field collections, the rest of the team is Angolan. A local entomology coordinator worked hand-in-hand with the NMCP and Ministry of Health at central and provincial levels to facilitate logistics and gained buy-in from all stakeholders before the start of collections. Three of the five technicians working in Huambo were previously trained by PMI and supported by the NMCP.

The team also brought life back to the dormant insectary in Huambo, which was set up with PMI’s support in 2014. An insectary in Luanda based at the country’s National Health Research Institute (INIS – Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde) is in the process of being established, and INIS will provide technicians to support the Luanda site collections.

With accurate, reliable and timely entomological data, Angola will be empowered to make informed, evidence-based decisions on the deployment of appropriate vector control interventions.

Congratulação on this milestone and keep up the good work, VectorLink Angola!