Category: Field Notes

Last week, more than two dozen of our VectorLink staff were joined by NMCP partners and PMI colleagues at the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) 2022 Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington. From the moment the ASTMH abstract acceptances were received several months ago, a lot of work has gone into poster and presentation preparation as well as logistics arrangements, by country and home office teams. And it all paid off—with an excellent showing of PMI VectorLink’s work over the four-day event. So, to everyone involved in making PMI VectorLink’s presence such a success, this Fist Bump goes to you. 

The project had 15 posters, two scientific sessions, and a symposium, sharing our work in Cambodia, Cameroon, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Zambia. Every person did a wonderful job presenting their findings and showing the ASTMH attendees all the incredible work that PMI VectorLink is doing. We also organized a well-attended, highly engaging Durability Monitoring Side Meeting that focused on country experiences, challenges, and lessons learned, which will help inform this work moving forward.

Our attendance at the Annual Meeting would not have been possible without the hard work of those coordinating the logistics. From tracking conference participation, booking flights and hotels, ensuring deadlines for submission were met, and engaging attendees in Seattle, the behind-the-scenes team deserves an equal amount of credit. And of course, an extra word of thanks for our PMI COR team for all their support, too!

Kudos to all of us, VectorLink!

This week’s Fist Bump goes to the VectorLink Zambia team, who recently hosted the new USAID/Zambia Mission Director Peter Wiebler and other USAID/PMI Zambia staff in Mambwe District, Eastern Province during the IRS campaign. The new Mission Director, who arrived in Zambia about two and a half months ago, observed first-hand the U.S. government’s support through the PMI VectorLink Project to Zambia’s 2022 IRS campaign, which began in late September in 18 districts across three of the 10 provinces.

Mr. Wiebler, accompanied by USAID and PMI staff, the NMEC Director, Health Director for Eastern Province, Health Director for Mambwe District, and other provincial and district health staff, first observed the spray teams’ morning mobilization activity at the central Mambwe operational site on Thursday, October 13. The team also inspected the site store and wash bay facilities. The District Health Director, Dr. George Mshanga gave a brief presentation on the malaria picture in the district, which showed a downward trend in the number of cases and deaths attributed to malaria in recent years.

The Mission Director and team then proceeded to Chikosi Village where they observed spraying by the VectorLink Zambia team and paid a courtesy visit to the Headman (chief) of the village, Mr. Isaiah Malipita, who remarked, “As Headman for the village, I wholeheartedly support the IRS program and pledge to support and work hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health and [PMI] VectorLink in sensitizing my community to continue to accept the program.”

Mr. Wiebler thanked the spray team members for their commitment and dedication to the fight against malaria. In his subsequent comments to the PMI organizing team, he stated, “A huge and sincere thank you to all who organized this meticulously planned, fascinating, and very rewarding trip.  I know an incredible amount of work goes into these outings… It was a great trip.” The VectorLink Zambia 2022 spray campaign is estimated to protect more than 2.4 million Zambians from malaria.

Kudos to the VectorLink Zambia team for their great work; we wish you a great conclusion to your campaign!

This week’s Fist Bump goes to the PMI VectorLink Sierra Leone team for launching mobile data collection for entomological surveillance. The VectorLink Sierra Leone entomology and M&E teams successfully transitioned standard paper data collection to mobile phones in Western Area Rural District following a two-day training held near the capital, Freetown.

Over the last several weeks, the VectorLink Sierra Leone entomology and HO entomology/M&E team have worked together to review and prepare for the shift from paper-based to mobile data collection for longitudinal monitoring including pyrethrum spray catches, CDC light traps, and human landing catches; residual efficacy; and insecticide resistance testing.

In a stepwise fashion, the VL Sierra Leone team has planned to roll out mobile data entry one district at a time. Starting with Western Area Rural, the team held its first mobile data entry training from October 17-18, 2022. This training included two entomology field supervisors from the district health management team (DHMT), one National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) entomologist, and seven VectorLink entomology and insectary technicians involved in different phases of data collection. The entomology database manager, technical manager, chief of party and M&E lead from Home Office were also in attendance. After a successful field trial in one of the sentinel sites, Sand Sand Water Village, the VectorLink Sierra Leone team in collaboration with the NMCP and DHMT successfully launched mobile data collection on October 27, 2022, in Western Area Rural for longitudinal monitoring and residual efficacy data collection. Further expansion to insecticide resistance data will take place in the coming months. At the launch, the NMCP Integrated Vector Management (IVM) Lead, Mr. Frederick Yamba, speaking on behalf of the NMCP program manager, highlighted the significance of improving the capacity of Sierra Leone’s surveillance system to enhance data accuracy for decision-making.

We are thrilled that the VL Sierra Leone team has successfully initiated mobile data capture, joining six other PMI VectorLink countries in transforming entomological surveillance. VL Sierra Leone will continue to closely monitor this mobile data collection pilot, learning and improving as they roll out to other districts in the coming months.

Congratulations to the whole team for getting this important and exciting activity kicked off!

This week we are celebrating our PMI VectorLink Angola team for the support they have provided to the Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS) located in Luanda and the National Malaria Control Program. With support from PMI and CDC, their capacity strengthening efforts have enabled the country to achieve a very exciting milestone: Angola now has the institutional and human capacity to conduct two key malaria lab analyses—polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and circumsporozoite enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (CS ELISAs) within its own borders at INIS!

The VectorLink Angola team has been partnering with INIS and the NMCP since 2019 to collect and analyze samples obtained in the field through routine surveillance and insecticide resistance monitoring activities. As field activities went on, VectorLink Angola lab technician Dr. Rossely Kuango and the team worked diligently to get the right equipment, reagents, and materials in country to start lab analyses. In March 2022, the team hosted a CDC entomologist who supported the team as they conducted the first PCR test to identify mosquito species collected by PMI VectorLink.

Then, earlier this month, the team successfully completed a second training for conducting CS ELISAs to identify malaria parasites within mosquito samples. The training took place from September 26 – October 4 and was attended by two technicians from INIS and three NMCP staff. Each training day had two main parts: a morning session facilitated by Rossely to review the Malaria Research and Reference Reagent Resource Centre ELISA protocol and accompanying video (produced by CDC for training purposes), followed by a virtual Q&A session with Allison Hendershot (VL molecular entomologist), Alice Sutcliffe (CDC), and Melissa Yoshimizu (PMI) to ask questions and discuss technical concepts.

The training successfully covered the entire protocol, and participants were highly engaged throughout the training thanks to the organization and efforts of the local leadership (Rossely and INIS technician Julio Estobre), as well as the translated resources (protocol, video guide) which were made available during the training and will be shared with other Lusophone countries for their use.

Of the 150 field collected samples tested through the training, the team recorded seven confirmed positives for Plasmodium falciparum and have since continued to process samples. These lab results will help inform future vector control efforts, and the capacity strengthening efforts will enable more analyses of Angolan samples to be done by Angolans.

Well done, VectorLink Angola!

This week’s Fist Bump goes to the VectorLink Malawi team, which began its IRS campaign this past Monday. A launch event was held in the far north of Nkhotakota District, where the spraying is taking place, and was attended by representatives from the NMCP and the Nkhotakota Health Office, as well as traditional authorities and the District Council. Community leaders and NMCP representatives reaffirmed their support for IRS and encouraged community members to allow their houses to be sprayed.

As was the case in many countries this year, our Malawi colleagues faced in-country challenges in preparing for this year’s campaign, in this instance, fuel shortages, an outbreak of cholera, and the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Nonetheless, the team had a smooth, successful first week and are anticipating more of the same in the weeks ahead. Congrats to all in Malawi and thanks to those in the home office and at PMI for all their support, too.

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!

Women are important stakeholders in efforts to combat vector-borne diseases. The Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA) established a women in vector control (WIVC) program and supports the active leadership and participation of women in vector control by organizing award ceremonies that recognize the work, achievements, and excellence of women who have contributed exceptionally to research and leadership in the control of vector-borne diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa.

We are thrilled to share that our own Regional Technical Advisor Sheila Ogoma Barasa is a winner of this year’s PAMCA WIVC Excellence award in the Mid-Career category. Sheila was recognized at a ceremony on Wednesday, at PAMCA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda. With 15 years of experience focusing on entomological surveillance and vector control product testing and evaluation, Sheila is constantly demonstrating why she deserves this award.

Sheila spent close to seven years at the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania studying and testing the mode of action and efficacy of vector control products including spatial repellents and indoor residual spraying insecticides. Even then, she demonstrated excellent leadership skills; she received a grant to expand her studies on spatial repellents, leading and mentoring a team of driven young researchers who have gone on to be excellent scientists with their own research grants. She went on to work with National Malaria Control Programs in southern Africa, Latin America, and the Greater Mekong Subregion, where she strengthened capacity within their entomology programs and mentored several people. In addition to serving in her present role with VectorLink, Sheila co-chairs the Expanding the Vector Control Toolbox work stream of the Roll Back Malaria Vector Control Working Group.

Congratulations Sheila! This award is well-deserved.

With Climate Week this week, we thought it would be fitting to give a shout out to all our colleagues who work so diligently to adapt malaria services to a changing climate as well as ensure that our interventions have as minimal an impact on the environment as possible. 

Now in its 14th year and occurring in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Climate Week brings together leaders in climate action that work across business, government, and the overall climate community. 

What is some of the work we have done relating to climate and environment? Regional Environmental Compliance Manager Tahina Masihelison used solar power to cool an insecticide storeroom during last year’s spray campaign in Madagascar, Technical Director Matt Kirby shared his thoughts on how climate data can be used to combat the spread of malaria in this podcast, and many of our spray countries have comprehensive waste management practices that strive to recycle as much of their materials as possible. 

Keep up the great work, PMI VectorLink! 

Today’s Fist Bump goes to the VectorLink communications team, Elizabeth Walsh and Zoe Kaldor, who were given kudos by the PMI Washington Communications team during this week’s PMI Communicators Call. Held quarterly, these calls bring communications teams from all the implementing partners across PMI’s portfolio of projects, to discuss news and updates, highlight priorities, and share new resources. VectorLink’s comms team was recognized in the meeting for raising the profile of PMI and the project’s work through creative posts on Twitter that highlight stories and resources, such as those seen at right. Of course, all these good stories and resources come from the work of everyone on this team, so a win for communications is really a win for everyone! If you’re not familiar with Twitter, check it out: Follow PMI VectorLink (here) – and PMI, too (here) – to stay current!

How do we assess the impact of vector control interventions, when the quality of existing epidemiological data sources is insufficient?

This week’s Fist Bump goes to VectorLink Côte d’Ivoire for pioneering a data collection effort across all health facilities in four districts using a mobile data collection tool developed in-house. Teaming up with colleagues at the NMCP and national Department of IT and Health Information (DIIS), the team supervised the work of 182 data collection agents at 96 health facilities, to collect 44 months’ worth of data from paper health facility patient registers that contain records for around 200 patients. That’s a lot of data, and it was all done within four weeks!

A 2021 data quality audit prompted the NMCP decision to collect malaria case indicator data directly from health facility registers, rather than from the DHIS2, for use in an impact evaluation of the 2020 and 2021 IRS campaigns. The VectorLink team worked closely with NMCP partners to develop data collection protocols and plans for supervision and quality control of the effort.

The team developed and deployed a novel data collection tool based in Kobo Collect, which allows data collection to be performed offline and synchronized daily to real-time monitoring and supervision dashboards. The dashboards allowed the team to track the progress of data collection agents at each health facility and to detect and promptly address potential issues such as missing registers, incorrectly entered indicators, and agent adherence to protocols.

The team concluded the activity this week with presentations to the district health offices which included summaries of the data collected, register completeness, and recommendations for improving archival practices. Given the critical importance of collecting high-quality data, the team’s adaptability, tenacity, and attention to detail in the face of logistical and technical challenges ensured the success of this activity.

The IRS impact evaluation results will be available at the end of October for an NMCP strategic meeting to inform decision-making on future vector control interventions.

Félicitations à l’équipe VectorLink Côte d’Ivoire for this triumph!