In efforts to combat malaria and enhance public health outcomes, the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) recently hosted a 2-day comprehensive training session for district and community officers in from six sentinel districts across Ghana.
This initiative falls under the broader framework of the USAID Malaria Surveillance and Monitoring Program, spearheaded by the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) in Ghana.
The USAID Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI) project has long been committed to bolstering the capabilities of public health entomologists in vector control strategies. A key aspect of this initiative is the monitoring of major entomological indicators nationwide, aimed at providing vital disease intelligence to inform targeted interventions.
Since 2015, the National Insecticide Resistance Monitoring Partnership (NIRMOP) has been actively engaged in monitoring insecticide resistance at 30 sentinel sites across the country. Additionally, entomological surveillance commenced in 20 sentinel sites in 2021, marking a significant step forward in malaria control efforts.
As a local partner in this endeavor, NHRC will conduct entomological surveillance at six sentinel locations spanning six sentinel districts in Ghana including Sefei-Wiawso, Begoro, Kenyasi, Dambai, Kumbungu, and Walewale.
The director of NHRC, Dr. Patrick Ansah at the closing day of the training, commended the attendees and facilitators stating that entomological surveillance serves as the backbone of malaria elimination efforts hence equipping the district officers with the necessary skills through this training is the way forward in tracking and eliminating malaria.
The training which was led by a team of resource persons including Dr. Kwadwo Frempong, Dr. Joseph H. N. Osei, Mr. Andy Asafu-Adjaye, and Rahmat Bint Yusif from Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the training aimed to equip the district and community officers with the necessary skills and knowledge required for effective entomological surveillance work.
The training covered various aspects, including entomological monitoring techniques, procedures for morphological identification of malaria vectors including Anopheles stephensi, and best practices related to entomological monitoring. Emphasis was also placed on data entry into the entomological database, crucial for tracking the success of interventions and guiding future strategies.
The entomological data will play a pivotal role in understanding key aspects such as vector species, geographic and temporal distribution, biting and resting behavior, transmission potential, insecticide resistance status, as well as the quality and residual efficacy of Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS).
With strengthened entomological surveillance capabilities, the NHRC is poised to make significant contribution towards malaria elimination ultimately improving the health and well-being of the populace.