Piloting Locally Led Indoor Residual Spraying in Madagascar

The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) has partnered with country governments since 2006 in the fight against malaria, often taking the lead in implementing prevention efforts in malaria-endemic communities. Last year, PMI worked with Madagascar’s National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) to pilot a new approach, with NMCP staff in the driver’s seat to lead the implementation of the 2023 indoor residual spray (IRS) campaign in the Ankazoabo District.

In September, representatives from the NMCP, the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), and the PMI Evolving Vector Control to Fight Malaria Project (PMI Evolve) selected Ankazoabo district for this pilot initiative. Ankazoabo was chosen based on its high incidence of malaria cases, its proven success in supporting prior campaigns led by PMI, and the availability of storage facilities for insecticide and other spray commodities. The group tapped three NMCP staff—a district coordinator, environmental compliance and safety officer, and finance and administrative assistant—to fully lead all IRS operations.

As a first step, PMI Evolve trained the three NMCP staff, reinforcing knowledge they had previously gained through observing PMI-led campaigns, and strengthening their abilities to lead trainings and engage local leaders and residents in the campaign.

In Ankazoabo, at the campaign’s launch, from left to right: the NMCP district coordinator, Mr. Jerizo Ramandimbiarijaona; PMI Evolve’s vector control manager, Dr. Nambinisoa Mauricette Andriamananjara; and the NMCP’s environmental compliance and safety officer, Mr. Joelson Andry Rakotoson.

Dr. Brusa Andriamino, the National Director of the MOPH’s Directorate for Transmissible Diseases, played a key role in helping to engage local actors. Noting that community participation would be critical to having a successful campaign, he said, “It was important that we engaged communities in the whole process, from the beginning of the campaign through to the end.”

Dr. Brusa Andriamino, National Director, Ministry of Public Health’s Directorate for Transmissible Diseases.

Early in the planning stages, the NMCP IRS operations team met with representatives from the communities that would receive IRS, and spoke with traditional authorities, religious leaders, schoolteachers, village chiefs, and others. During these community education sessions, they shared messages about malaria prevention, the effectiveness of IRS, and what to expect from the campaign. At the same time, they were managing some of the essential pre-spray activities, including establishing a timeline for spray operations, identifying the operational sites, and recruiting spray team members from the local communities, and then training them.  

When the campaign launched in late October, the NMCP team assumed responsibility for the overall implementation of the day-to-day operations, including managing the spray teams, logistics, warehouses, and ensuring environmental compliance for insecticide usage, with support from PMI Evolve. PMI Evolve also provided close supervision and support to ensure that the IRS was delivered in accordance with both PMI and the Government of Madagascar standards, and to verify that the data collection was accurate and entered correctly in the daily monitoring and reporting process. With this light support, the government staff successfully completed the spraying of 20,613 structures in the community, protecting 85,385 people against malaria.

Dr. Andriamino characterized this first implementation of locally led IRS as a success. “This was a very practical training and exercise,which strengthened the local team’s ability to manage such a campaign,” he noted. “The local team learned how to conduct effective community dialogue. They also gained a deeper understanding of the importance of monitoring the campaign. The monitoring process was of primordial importance, as it gave the local team the opportunity to analyze any challenges, offer solutions in a timely manner, and keep the campaign on track.”   

Looking ahead to next year’s campaign, Dr. Andriamino is already thinking about ways to deepen community participation and increase the number of NMCP-led IRS districts. “In the future, we could involve community members more in the monitoring and data collection processes of the campaign,” he said. “We need to keep the dialogue going with the communities,” he said. “We need to inform communities of the results we have attained and listen to their advice for how things can be improved.”  

Morning mobilization of a spray team in Ankazoabo.

 

PMI Evolve Publishes Year 1 Annual Report 2023

PMI Evolve has published its Year 1 Annual Report, providing an overview of the project work accomplished between January 1 and December 31, 2023. The report highlights the many achievements made through our work with the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), USAID Missions and Bureaus, and national malaria programs and their partners in 21 countries.

Read the full report here.

Bringing the Malaria Fight Home: Women in Nigeria Lead the Way in Community-Based Mosquito Collection

In Nigeria, communities have historically relied on information about mosquitoes, malaria parasites, and malaria transmission from government or aid groups. Now for the first time, community members, such as health worker Rashida Umar, are taking charge of understanding and teaching others about the complex mosquito populations in their communities, how to control them, and ways to protect themselves.

Community health workers Rashida Umar (left) and Adama Adamu (right) conducting mosquito collection as part of activities for the recently piloted community-based entomology surveillance in Dass Local Government Area (LGA) of Bauchi State.

Rashida is one of five community health workers and six community residents recently selected by the local government. These community collectors were trained to conduct community-based entomological monitoring in the Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Nigeria by the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative Evolving Vector Control to Fight Malaria Project (PMI Evolve). This is part of a groundbreaking pilot that PMI Evolve launched in October 2023 to enhance sustainability by shifting away from periodic mosquito sampling conducted by visiting experts, and instead relying on collections by community members in the places they live. Rashida was chosen because she has gained experience in mosquito collection methods under a prior PMI project.

“I am happy to see that PMI Evolve Nigeria is looking to change towards a community-based approach,” says Rashida. “It truly helps us in the community take control of our situation. PMI Evolve Nigeria has done an excellent job recognizing and empowering women to take part in the program and providing us with the necessary resources. I am excited to share this experience with my colleagues helping bring an end to malaria.”

According to PMI Evolve Vector Monitoring Specialist Grace Yina, engaging women health workers such as Rashida in this pilot has been critical to its success and sustainability in the highly conservative environment of northern Nigeria. “Based on socio-cultural beliefs, women are generally allowed into neighbor’s houses where the ‘Bashiga’ policy exists. This policy means that men are not allowed to enter households of non-related women, even if close neighbors,” says Grace. “The involvement of women in mosquito surveillance, especially at the community level, paves the way for greater acceptance and access, which allows them to collect the mosquito samples we need,” says Grace.

Professor Auwal Barde, a principal investigator of the Bauchi sentinel surveillance site, and some members of the PMI Evolve project conducting a practical demonstration on mosquito identification and dissection to community members and health workers as part of the training program for the community-based entomology surveillance activities.

Rashida and the other community collectors received comprehensive lessons in mosquito biology, collection techniques, species identification, and insecticide resistance monitoring methods, and are now conducting mosquito collections every other month. PMI Evolve Nigeria is partnering with Bauchi State, Bauchi State Ministry of Health, and local government authorities who have expressed their enthusiastic support by selecting community collectors and mobilizing community leaders and health personnel to increase acceptance by the community members. To ensure adherence to entomological protocols, supervisors from local government and university partners are providing oversight.           

Equally important, the pilot is forging new connections between the environmental and community health workers, with members of both professions appreciating the role of the other in health care delivery within the communities they serve. Their efforts are also shifting public perceptions that mosquito collection and vector control is confined to specialists in entomology.

As the pilot progresses, the communities themselves are becoming more alert to mosquito threats, receptive to interventions, and eager to stamp out transmission for good, which has further led to community collectors taking greater ownership, proposing improvements, and advocating for resources, to make the work sustainable.

Nigeria’s ambitious community-based malaria collection pilot demonstrates the power of decentralized processes to drive local action. When community members such as Rashida Umar lead the way, communities are empowered, community members better understand the disease, and eliminating malaria finally seems within reach.

Protecting Populations from Malaria through Mass ITN Distribution: Zambia’s Mateyo Moyo

Chief Moyo conducting monitoring of ITN distribution on Kilwa Island in Nchelenge district.

In the heart of Zambia’s Luapula Province, Mateyo Moyo, the chief environmental health officer in Luapula’s Provincial Health Office, stands as a beacon of dedication in the fight against malaria. Known by many simply as “Chief,” his vision, commitment, leadership, and unwavering passion drive the quest to dramatically reduce the burden of malaria in his province. This year, Luapula was the first province to receive and deliver ITNs in Zambia’s 2023 ITN nationwide mass campaign, and Chief Moyo played a major role.

Zambia has witnessed tremendous progress in reducing malaria deaths due in part to the harmonious collaboration of cooperating partners in deploying integrated vector control (IVC) interventions, including mass ITN distribution campaigns. In 2023, the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF), and the Global Fund provided financial and technical support to help procure and distribute a total of 11.5 million ITNs to protect an approximate population of 19 million people spread across 10 provinces.

“Coordinating key stakeholders in the province has been exciting although not easy and at times somewhat stressful,” Chief Moyo states. Among the many stakeholders he has been working with are USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) Project, which oversees ITN warehousing and transportation from central warehouses in Lusaka directly to district health facilities; USAID’s Evidence for Health (E4H) Project, which oversees ITN campaign digitization including—for the first time in Zambia—digital data collection during household registration net and distribution; and USAID’s PAMO Plus Project, responsible for sharing key messages with communities about ITN use and how households can register to receive a net. He is also working with the PMI Evolving Vector Control to Fight Malaria Project (PMI Evolve), which oversees final-mile ITN distribution directly to households as well as coordinating technical assistance, timelines, and troubleshooting for the nationwide mass campaign. As Chief Moyo says, “A campaign of this magnitude relies on ensuring that the best coordinating mechanisms are put in place and effectively working together to protect the people from malaria.”

From micro-planning to execution and partner coordination at both provincial and district levels, Chief Moyo’s supervision and leadership have been instrumental, enabling his province to reach its targets for delivering ITNs to households and driving the nationwide campaign to a successful start. Reflecting on the 2023 campaign’s launch, Chief Moyo highlighted several key achievements.      

“The collaboration with partners was exemplary, and no population was left unreached,” said Chief Moyo. “We managed to distribute ITNs and protect people living in hard-to-reach communities, such as those in Kilwa and Chisenga islands as well as those in wetlands, to name a few. We distributed a total of 1,118,429 ITNs in the province, to protect approximately 2,236,856 people, which is 11% of the total population of Zambia.”

Chief Moyo delivering a session at the combined IRS-ITN microplanning session.

With logistical support from PMI Evolve, Chief Moyo visited all 12 districts in Luapula province himself, both during household registration to receive the nets, and then again during distribution, to ensure that resources were being used and allocated properly. In Lunga district, where families make a living by fishing, Chief Moyo anticipated the possibility of nets being misused as fishing nets once they were distributed, instead of for their intended purpose. Applying insights gleaned from a PMI-funded assessment of potential ITN misuse in northern Zambia, he engaged key local leaders, including representatives from the Ministry of Fisheries as well as traditional chiefs to educate communities on the need to use ITNs correctly. Through a series of meetings, they agreed on penalties for anyone found fishing with an ITN, another step to ensure that the nets would be used in communities as intended.    

Zambia, despite its progress, remains a high-burden malaria country with year-round transmission and varying intensities across regions. Chief Moyo, the hero at the heart of Luapula Province’s ITN campaign, embodies the spirit of dedication and collaboration needed to overcome malaria’s challenges and further the country’s progress to reduce malaria. His leadership stands as an inspiring example in the ongoing efforts to protect populations from this devastating disease, contributing significantly to PMI’s strategy to “end malaria faster.”

 

 

 

PMI VectorLink Project Final Report Highlights Six Years of Vector Control Achievements

The U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) VectorLink Project was a global, six-year program that ran from October 2017 through September 2023. The project’s goal was to support PMI in conducting entomological monitoring, indoor residual spraying (IRS), distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), and other proven, life-saving malaria vector control interventions to reduce the burden of malaria. PMI VectorLink worked with national malaria programs and their partners in 25 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Cambodia and Colombia, to strengthen their capacity to plan and implement cost-effective, evidence-based, and sustainable malaria control activities. Through these efforts, millions of people were protected from malaria, year after year.

The PMI VectorLink Project Final Report highlights the project’s achievements in the areas of strengthening country capacity and advancing integrated vector control. It also looks at how PMI VectorLink used data to drive vector control decisions; contributed to global malaria research and best practices; and helped countries keep their malaria services resilient during times of crises. Through these efforts, millions of people were protected from malaria, year after year.

Read the full report here.

In Guinea, a Peace Corps Volunteer Supports Mosquito Monitoring

Growing up in Albany, New York, Blessing Uzoeshi didn’t spend much time thinking about mosquitoes. Now as a Peace Corps volunteer serving in Guinea, she thinks about them a lot, as she supports her community to learn more about malaria-transmitting mosquitoes and make strides in malaria prevention efforts.

Blessing Uzoeshi (left) watches as a community mosquito collector identifies a mosquito.

Guinea’s 12 million residents are at risk of contracting malaria, including the approximately 12,000 people who live in the town of Tormelin, a farming community where Blessing serves as a public health volunteer. In this role, she conducts outreach to pregnant women, providing education on malaria risk and prevention, since pregnant women and their babies can be at increased risk for complications due to malaria. Recently, she was trained to take on a new role in mosquito monitoring, as part of a collaborative initiative between the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and the Peace Corps.

Community-based mosquito monitoring, a form of entomological surveillance, is an approach used in some countries to collect detailed information about mosquitoes. Data about their geographical distribution, resting and feeding habits, and other behaviors are needed to inform vector control methods that prevent malaria transmission—such as the distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). While this work is often led by trained scientists and vector control staff, community-based entomological surveillance (CBS) is an alternative approach in remote regions where local residents are trained to conduct mosquito collection.

In Guinea, the PMI Evolving Vector Control to Fight Malaria Project (PMI Evolve) is working with the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) to help determine the drivers of malaria transmission in four high-burden areas, including Fria Prefecture, where Blessing lives. According to Yansane Alhousseny, the area’s entomological focal point, Fria Health District has the highest malaria incidence rate in the region, but there had been no entomological surveillance within affected communities, so he and his colleagues lacked the data they needed to make informed decisions about vector control.

Earlier this year, PMI Evolve trained Yansane and his counterparts in three other districts to overcome this challenge. “I was trained on the techniques of mosquito collection and identification in June 2023. In turn, I trained community volunteers from the Tormelin sub-prefecture on mosquito collection and identification techniques,” says Yansane. “After the training, these community volunteers collected mosquitoes in June and September 2023. This activity, which is a first in the prefecture of Fria, will provide data on malaria transmission, including the proportion of mosquitoes infected in Tormelin. This information will serve to raise awareness among the population and to develop our interventions at the community level.”

Peace Corps Volunteer Blessing Uzoeshi observing mosquito collection in Tormelin.

Blessing and four other Peace Corps volunteers in the high-burden communities took part in an online training to learn how to support the community mosquito collectors in their work. She is now providing supervision to Tormelin’s two community volunteers, to ensure that they are following the protocols they learned during training. She is also liaising with Yansane, who is 29 kilometers away from Tormelin, too far for him to regularly perform the supervision needed.

“Blessing’s involvement will allow close supervision and follow up on the others involved and will also enable us to think about expanding entomological surveillance into neighboring communities,” says Yansane.

Malaria awareness is a big part of my job here,” says Blessing. “This role is important because we’re searching and implementing ways to prevent malaria-related deaths. Through mosquito surveillance, we can identify the types of mosquitoes in our community and share this information with others who are working to reduce the transmission of malaria.”

Several activities are underway to advance Guinea’s entomological surveillance capacity to support malaria prevention and vector control efforts, which include strengthening mosquito collection processes and laboratory and insectary capabilities. However, this initiative with the Peace Corps is a fundamental example of how PMI is leveraging in-country resources to maximize the impact of malaria programming. These efforts will increase the effectiveness of mosquito monitoring and contribute to general malaria control activities that better protect people living in high-risk communities.

 

 

 

 

Malaria Fighter: Juliet Murekatete, Vice Mayor for Social Affairs, Nyagatare District, Rwanda

Rwanda

Juliet Murekatete, the vice mayor for social affairs in Rwanda’s Nyagatare District, is a true malaria warrior. Originally a teacher, Juliet’s passion for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) stems from surviving a severe case of malaria that affected her for over three years. Since 2019, she has been an active participant in Nyagatare district’s IRS operations, taking part in IRS spray campaigns and sharing her knowledge with all 653,861 people in her community. Juliet recently took the time to speak with us to discuss her work and the difference she is making in Nyagatare district.

Nyagatare District vice mayor for social affairs Juliet Murekatete.

Tell us about yourself and your career, and what has made you go out and take part in the IRS campaigns. 

I originally studied education to become a teacher and in 2013, I became a head teacher. In 2018, I became the vice mayor of the Nyagatare district in charge of social affairs (education, health, and social development) and the welfare of the community. Before assuming this role, I did not know anything about IRS. I became educated about IRS when malaria started affecting my household. The spraying of IRS completely ended the threat of mosquitoes in my house, which led me in 2019 to start to work with the IRS team. Being a victim of malaria and suffering for more than three years, constantly being hospitalized and going to health centers, I feel that I must be involved so that I can help protect my constituents and have them learn about IRS and take part in it.

You have made an impact in your district by taking part in IRS campaigns. Can you describe the process and challenges that you go through?

The process is intense, but we work well together to achieve our goal. First, we involve the local leaders, community health workers, and others to plan the activities. To take the process to the next step, we train the spray operators and hold trainings for local leaders. After the trainings, we communicate our campaign spray plan by radio, social media, and mobile alerts to mobilize people to prepare their communities. As well, awareness campaigns are done in churches that partner with us, and we hold community meetings every Tuesday to share our messages.

Vice mayor for social affairs Juliet Murekatete preparing insecticide during the spray campaign.

We face many challenges as well, including people reluctant to have their homes sprayed, although that number has been reduced. People also ask why IRS spraying can’t happen twice a year, but we only spray once a year in August. Lastly, the three largest sectors in Nyagatare district—Karangazi, Rwimiyaga, and Nyagatare—are extremely spread out with scattered houses that pose challenges given how spread out they are. But we don’t complain, and the spray teams get the work done.

What impact have you seen in the community by visiting households and promoting IRS?

We hear a lot of testimonials, first, that the awareness of the benefits of IRS has increased. When we are supervising, some people tell us that the community health workers circle back to people whose houses were missed because these household members come to them saying they want IRS, and they don’t want their houses to be missed. The difference from 2018 to 2023 is outstanding. People are prepared ahead of time for the campaign and go on with their days as usual while the spraying is conducted. We also continue to mobilize the community for other, secondary preventative measures even when we’re not spraying, such as clearing bushes, sleeping under the nets, and using other methods. This is our best way to reduce malaria.

What do you find most challenging and rewarding about your work?

As noted, some of the sectors within our district are quite spread out and rural, and this is challenging for the teams that must reach all these houses. Another thing is that we have new households that come from other districts where IRS isn’t being done (so they may be reluctant to have their homes sprayed), but we use community mobilization to address this challenge.

My work is extremely rewarding. First off and most importantly, cases are decreasing. I am also happy about the partnerships that we have created, under the leadership of His Excellency Paul Kagame. I enjoy the process of spraying– double-checking which houses are not yet sprayed and completing everything within 20 days (a regular campaign schedule). I’m proud of our system and our partnership with PMI Evolve and the district and support from USAID and the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative.

What are your hopes for the future of Rwanda in terms of malaria control and prevention?

Vice mayor for social affairs Juliet Murekatete addresses a group of spray operators.

My hope for the future in terms of malaria control is that with these measures and the good professionals on our team, we can end malaria.

What would you like more people in Rwanda to know about mosquitoes and malaria?

First of all, mosquitoes and malaria can be eradicated and with our combined (or joint) efforts, we can do this. We need a commitment to sustain and eradicate malaria. To achieve this, everyone should be concerned and aware of their opportunities to help us protect themselves (sleeping under nets, clearing brush). Our partners are here to help us, and we want everyone to be engaged. Malaria can kill people and prevent the development of our country. Please, make a strong and sustained effort to respect all measures taken by our leaders and their partners to help us end malaria together.

The 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, October 18-22, 2023

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Annual Meeting is the premier forum for the exchange of scientific advances in tropical medicine, global health, and hygiene. This year’s event is taking place at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

PMI Evolve is pleased to announce our participation through the following oral presentations, and poster presentations, as follows. 

Thursday, October 19

Poster Session A | 12:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. | Riverside Center East Tower

Poster number 5198: The Impact of Four Years of Indoor Residual Spraying with No-Pyrethroid Insecticides (Pirimiphos-Methyl and Chlothianidin) on Entomological Drivers of Malaria Transmission in Burkina Faso, West Africa

Presenter: Dieudonné Diloma Soma, Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS)

Key Message: The findings revealed a high efficacy of SumiShield 50 WG and Fludora Fusion WP-SB, which lasted more than six months, indicating that they could be added to the list of potential insecticides for indoor residual spraying activities where there is pyrethroid resistance.

To view more information on the abstract click on the number above or view here.

 

Poster number 5204: Changes in the biting behavior of Anopheles gambiae s.l. following the combination of mass- distribution campaigns of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying over Five years in Kiremba, Northern Burundi

Presenter: Denis Sinzinkayo, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: The shift in biting behaviors of An. gambiae s.l., from equally feeding indoor and outdoor to predominantly feeding outdoor, may be associated with continuous indoor-based vector control interventions in Kiremba, Northern Burundi.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number LB- 8115: Targeting animal structures for indoor residual spraying in response to shifting behaviors reduces malaria cases in Northern Ghana

Presenter: Osei Akuoko, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: Spraying animal shelters and sleeping rooms could have significant impact on malaria transmission in areas with similar characteristics to northern Ghana.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number 5197: Composition and seasonality of Anopheles gambiae s.l. and Anopheles funestus s.l. in Liberia

Presenter: Ibrahima Baber, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: An. gambiae s.l. and An. funestus s.l. show spatial and seasonal variation in their distribution. Further molecular tests for identification of both vectors to the species level, and analysis of parasite infection rate and host preference is underway to better understand trends in malaria transmission risk by space and time.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number 5195: Differential Risk of Exposure to An. gambiae s.l. and An. funestus s.l. Biting Estimated from Human Behavior Observation Adjusted Analysis in Malawi

Presenter: Nellie Kaunde, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: In six high malaria burden districts, most of the human-vector contact occurs indoors while people are asleep, thus an increase in ITN usage above the current 60% would substantially reduce malaria transmission in these districts.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number 5188: Monitoring pyrethroid resistance intensity in populations of Anopheles gambiae s.l. across Five Ecological Zones in Nigeria and the Implications for Vector Control Decisions

Presenter: Petrus Inyama, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: The insights from this multi-year pyrethroid intensity data analysis further justifies the need to deploy novel and/or combinations of insecticides with different modes of action for the most effective vector control interventions.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number 5229: Observations on key entomological and malaria indicators during the periods of Indoor Residual Spraying with pirimiphos-methyl and clothianidin-based products in Zambia

Presenter: Mohamed Bayoh, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: Study results suggest that pirimiphos-methyl could be safely reintroduced into the IRS insecticide rotation in these areas in Zambia with no significant adverse effect on programmatic outcomes, however additional analyses controlling for additional confounders are still needed.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Friday, October 20

Poster Session B |12:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. | Riverside Center East Tower

Poster number 5884: Assessing insecticide resistance profile of Anopheles gambiae s.l. for strategic vector control decision making in Guinea

Presenter: Evelyne Alyko, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: Resistance to pyrethroids was observed at all study sites at a high intensity. An. gambiae was fully susceptible to chlorfenapyr, suggesting that chlorfenapyr-based ITNs could be effective malaria prevention tools, and these findings support Guinea’s decisions regarding the most appropriate ITNs to use in-country.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number LB- 8201: Field performance of Interceptor®, Interceptor® G2, and PermaNet® 3.0 brand insecticide-treated nets across three districts in Burkina Faso over 36 months – Results from a 2019-2022 durability monitoring study

Presenter: Jacky Raharinjatovo, The PMI Evolve Project, PSI

Key Message: New pyrethroid plus chlorfenapyr and pyrethroid + piperonyl butoxide ITNs exceeded their three-year estimated survival expectation under field conditions in Burkina Faso. Determinants of increased ITN survival were also identified, which can be incorporated into social behavior change messaging during subsequent routine and mass ITN distributions.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number 5942: Impact of Indoor Residual Spraying on Entomological Indices in Sakassou, Central Côte d’Ivoire

Presenter: Bernard Kouassi, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: A significant reduction of malaria transmission indicators was observed after spraying and throughout three consecutive years of IRS; these results are consistent with preliminary findings on the epidemiological impact of two of the IRS campaigns, indicating that IRS represents an effective intervention in Côte d’Ivoire to control malaria vectors and decrease the disease incidence.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number LB- 8444: Larval source management implementation for the control of Anopheles stephensi in Ethiopia (August 2022-April 2023)

Presenter: Meshesha Balkew, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: LSM can be used in urban settings where insecticide-treated net utilization is low and indoor residual spraying is not feasible but may require the engagement of local governments and communities to be sustainable.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number 5946: Assessing Entomological Impact of a Larval Source Management Pilot Using Aerial Spraying of Rice Fields with Drones in Two Districts of Madagascar

Presenter: Jean Desire Rakotoson, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: Entomological monitoring activities conducted before, during and after the pilot aerial spraying of larvicide using Bti suggests that larviciing should be considered an an appropriate complementary strategy in areas with outdoor biting and seasonal malaria transmission.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Session: 92 – Mosquitoes – Biology and Genetics of Insecticide Resistance | 4:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. | Grand Ballroom CDEF – Ballroom Level (East Tower)

Abstract Number 6442: Evidence Supporting Deployment of Next Generation Insecticide Treated Nets in Burkina Faso: Bioassays with Chlorfenapyr and Piperonyl Butoxide Increase Mortality of Pyrethroid-Resistant Anopheles gambiae

Presenter: Aristide Hien, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS)

Time of Presentation: 4:45 p.m.

Key Message: After two to three years of field use in Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Burundi, the chemical content of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) containing chlorfenapyr or piperonyl butoxide is dropping more precipitously than expected, which could be adversely affecting the ITNs’ ability to protect against pyrethroid-resistant mosquitos.

To view more information on the presentation, click here

 

Scientific Session 100 – Malaria – Epidemiology: Intervention Impact on Infection, Disease and Mortality | 4:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. | Regency Ballroom D – Ballroom Level (West Tower) 

Abstract Number 6860: Reduction of malaria case incidence following the introduction of clothianidin-based indoor residual spraying in previously unsprayed districts: an observational analysis using health facility register data from Cote d’Ivoire, 2018-2022

Presenter: Emily Hilton, The PMI Evolve Project, PATH

Time of presentation: 5:32 p.m.

Key Message: The clothianidin-based IRS deployed in 2020 and 2021 was associated with substantially reduced malaria case rates in two districts of Côte d’Ivoire. This study is among the first to demonstrate a positive impact of clothianidin-based IRS on clinically reported malaria case incidence.

To view more information on the presentation, click here.

 

Saturday, October 21

Poster Session C |11:00 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. | Riverside Center East Tower

Poster number 6860: Reduction of malaria case incidence following the introduction of clothianidin-based indoor residual spraying in previously unsprayed districts: an observational analysis using health facility register data from Cote d’Ivoire, 2018-2022

Presenter: Emily Hilton, The PMI Evolve Project, PATH

Key Message: Clothianidin-based IRS deployed in 2020 and 2021 was associated with substantially reduced malaria case rates in two districts of Côte d’Ivoire. This study is among the first to demonstrate a positive impact of clothianidin-based IRS on clinically reported malaria case incidence.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number LB- 8307: Larval source management for the control of Anopheles stephensi in Ethiopia: Entomological Monitoring Results

Presenter: Hiwot Solomon, Directorate of Disease Prevention and Control, Federal Ministry of Health, Ethiopia

Key Message: LSM has resulted in substantial reduction of Anopheles larval density and larval habitat positivity, and therefore, this method may be an appropriate primary control intervention for An. stephensi.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Poster number 6633: Impact of a new insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on entomological indicators of malaria transmission in Rwanda

Presenter: Elias Niyituma, The PMI Evolve Project, Abt Associates

Key Message: After the deployment of IRS and distribution of IG2 and PBO nets, the proportion of An. gambiae dropped significantly, with the entomological inoculation rate also reduced. These changes were accompanied by a shift in the dominant vector species composition, from An. gambiae s.s. to An. arabiensis.

To view more information on the abstract, click on the number above or here.

 

Sunday, October 22

Scientific Session 148 – Malaria – Prevention I | 8:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. | Grand Ballroom B – Ballroom Level (East Tower) 

Abstract number 7197: Insecticide chemical content and bioefficacy of insecticide-treated nets containing chlorfenapyr or piperonyl butoxide over 24 months of field use in Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Burundi

Presenter: Keith Esch, The PMI Evolve Project, PSI 

Tim of presentation: 8:30 a.m.

Key Message: After two to three years of field use in Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Burundi, the chemical content of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) containing chlorfenapyr or piperonyl butoxide is dropping more precipitously than expected, which could be adversely affecting the ITNs’ ability to protect against pyrethroid-resistant mosquitos.

To view more information on the presentation click here.

 

New Technical Brief: Evaluating the Impact of Vector Control Interventions

Remarkable progress in reducing malaria morbidity and mortality has been made over the past two decades, with an estimated 2 billion malaria infections prevented and 11.7 million lives saved. The core vector control interventions—insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS)—have contributed significantly to this progress and are essential tools in the global effort to end malaria faster. However, progress has stalled worldwide amid a myriad of threats such as widespread resistance to pyrethroid insecticides and emerging resistance to other classes of insecticides among mosquito populations.

With the introduction of new vector control products in response to these threats, National Malaria Programs (NMPs) increasingly need to make data-driven decisions at the sub-national level. PMI VectorLink, in collaboration with NMPs, prioritized the importance of integrated data analytics, visualization, and evaluation to help inform vector control decisions and strategies. By partnering with NMPs to conduct impact evaluations using routine data, PMI VectorLink generated the localized evidence needed to support these vector control intervention decisions.

Results from seven evaluations completed under PMI VectorLink found the following key takeaways:

  • Newer IRS and ITN products with non-pyrethroid insecticides were effective at reducing malaria burden and entomological indicators of malaria transmission in settings of confirmed pyrethroid resistance.
  • Dual active ingredient (dual-AI) and piperonylbutoxide (PBO) ITNs had a greater epidemiological impact compared to standard pyrethroid-only ITNs.
  • The impact of IRS may differ significantly by climate related transmission setting and patterns of ITN use.
  • Sustained implementation of IRS over multiple years and higher levels of IRS coverage may provide additional benefits

Results and key takeaways from these seven studies are gathered in a new technical brief, Evaluating the impact of vector control interventions: Results from the PMI VectorLink Project. Read the full brief here.

Read this story in French: Évaluation de l’impact des interventions de lutte contre les vecteurs : résultats du projet PMI VectorLink

 

Evaluating the Impact of IRS and ITNs: Lessons from PMI VectorLink

With the introduction of new indoor residual spraying (IRS) and insecticide-treated net (ITN) vector control tools, national malaria programs increasingly need to make data-driven, subnational decisions. 

On Wednesday, August 23, PMI Evolve and the RBM Partnership’s Vector Control Working Group hosted a webinar, Evaluating the Impact of IRS and ITNs: Lessons from PMI VectorLink. Panelists included Dr. Vincent Sanogo, a consultant for the NMCP Cote d’Ivoire, who shared insights into the country’s use of clothianidin-based insecticides for IRS in 2020 and 2021; and Dr. Aïssata Koné, director of the NMCP Mali, who discussed her country’s experience using the new dual active ingredient (dual-AI) ITNs. Joining them were three PMI Evolve team members who have worked on these impact evaluations, Dr. Sarah Burnett, director of integrated data analytics; Emily Hilton, research associate; and Natalie Gales, impact evaluation and data associate. The event was moderated by Hannah Koenker, a senior technical advisor for PMI Evolve and the RBM Partnership Vector Control Working Group’s Workstream 1 |Task team 4 Co-Lead. 

Watch the event recording here 

Access the slide deck hereEnglish Version

Read our Technical BriefEvaluating the impact of vector control interventions Results from the PMI VectorLink Project

These materials are also available in French: 

Accédez au diaporama du webinaire (version française) ici 

Lisez notre fiche technique: Evaluation de l’impact des interventions de lutte contre les vecteurs : résultats du projet PMI VectorLink