Adapting VectorLink Collect for National Use Across All Ento Partners in Zambia

This week’s Fist Bump goes to the VectorLink Zambia team for facilitating the first national program adaptation of our VectorLink Collect system for entomological data collection and management across all of Zambia’s entomological partners.

Since 2018 VectorLink, through PATH, has been assembling data annually from the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) and its five entomological partners in Zambia—VectorLink, MACEPA, Macha Research Trust, Tropical Diseases Research Center (TDRC) and First Quantum Minerals—to produce visualizations to support national IRS and ITN insecticide choice decisions. While this was an advancement in the use of data for decision-making, the data often came in multiple Excel sheets and required additional time and effort to assemble. The NMEP, represented by the Entomology Focal Point Person, Mr. Willy Ngulube, was eager to have a centralized database to collect and store NMEP and partner data across the country to allow for use by decision-makers.

VectorLink supported the development of an Entomological Data Management Committee (EDMC), led by the NMEP and comprised of the various entomological partners. After deliberations based on accessibility, cost, and ability to integrate with other systems currently being used in the country, the EDMC decided to adapt the DHIS2-based VectorLink Collect entomology modules to Zambia’s context. VectorLink led the charge in supporting the NMEP in revising their paper-based data collection tools and, importing and modifying VectorLink Collect entomological module metadata in a new NMEP server.

The first training on the new NMEP DHIS2 Entomological System, which was co-funded by VectorLink and MACEPA and led by VectorLink, was held from September 20-23, with 25 trainees from the national, provincial, and district levels, as well as all other partner organizations conducting entomological data were in attendance. This training focused on data entry, cleaning, analytics, and using entomological data to guide national decision-making for vector control. The following week the NMEP led a second training for the remaining districts, with technical support from VectorLink.

The NMEP now has a national DHIS2-based entomological database for collecting, analyzing, and visualizing all entomological data collected within the country. The system is online, accessible to all partners and designed for future integration with other national data systems!

Congratulations to the VectorLink Zambia team on this big achievement!