West African regional collaborative network for evidence-based decision-making in malaria elimination

When a country achieves the difficult task of eliminating malaria, the challenge of preventing reintroduction begins. Cabo Verde (CV), an archipelago off the coast of Senegal, has not reported a locally acquired malaria case since January 2018. However, the presence of malaria vector populations (Anopheles mosquitoes) means there is a constant risk of malaria resurgence. Epidemiological surveillance in CV is strong but there is limited data on the distribution of mosquitoes. Good quality entomological surveillance is vital in order to understand which areas are most at risk for malaria resurgence. The grant will be used for a series of virtual workshops focusing on data collection and analyses which are vital to sustaining elimination. CV and partners will benefit from improved knowledge and skills to implement entomological surveillance, increased analytical capacity, and strengthened research culture and inter-country relationships to support their malaria elimination agendas. Pilot entomological surveillance data will be collected in CV. The grant will conclude with an in-person workshop in CV to enable partners to work together to generate maps of malaria risk, to help inform where interventions could be targeted. The network will result in a sustainable collaboration between Western African countries nearing malaria elimination, building a research program focused on integrated surveillance and evidence-based decision-making with the aim of improving public health within the region.

Project details

Capacity Building
Surveillance

Jun 2021 — Sep 2022

$34,338

Cabo Verde