PMI VectorLink Uganda

Objectives

The project’s primary objective is to reach a minimum coverage of 85% of the structures found in each district by implementing high-quality IRS operations, but the project will aim to reach the highest coverage level possible. In addition to spraying, in Year 5, the project will carry out the following activities:

• Strengthen capacity at the national, regional, district, and local levels to manage IRS operations, including planning, spraying, resource allocation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).
• Support the six FCDO districts of Alebtong, Amolatar, Dokolo, Kaberamaido, Kalaki, and Otuke where IRS has been withdrawn and the 10 PMI-supported districts to strengthen routine entomological surveillance and monitor the implementation strategies to sustain the gains from IRS and other malaria interventions.
• Collaborate with PMI district leaders and other stakeholders on prioritizing implementation of activities in their IRS exit/sustainability plans and sourcing resources to implement those key priority activities.
• Conduct training with a focus on IRS supervision and spray techniques to improve the overall quality of spraying while observing COVID-19 protocols.
• Offer technical support to the MOH/NMCD in preparation for the Global Fund-supported IRS in the 12 West Nile districts which will be sprayed for the first time in 2022.
• Conduct regular M&E of project activities to ensure alignment with set targets and objectives and continue mobile data collection pilot in five operation sites in Bugiri district for a second year.
• Mainstream gender equality and female empowerment by ensuring women’s participation in all project activities.
• Involve youth in spray activities in the target districts by engaging them as parish mobilizers and sensitize youth groups in churches and encourage them to sensitize the community in turn about IRS. The project will also recruit youth over 18 years of age as spray team members and encourage them to sensitize the community in their villages in partnership with the Local Council 1s (LC1s (village leaders)) during spraying.
• Carry out a logistics assessment in all districts, and arrange all procurement, shipping, delivery, and storage of IRS commodities.
• Use digital scanning devices and open-source software to track movement of serialized insecticide at selected operation sites.
• Coordinate community mobilization activities in collaboration with stakeholders to raise awareness of IRS and encourage beneficiary and stakeholder ownership.
• Conduct insecticide resistance, wall bioassay, and vector density monitoring; vector behavioral studies; and ITN durability monitoring.
• Ensure safe and correct insecticide application, thus minimizing human and environmental exposure to IRS insecticides, in compliance with the Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan and Supplemental Environmental Assessment.