KMalaria Partners International (Katakwi Rotary Malaria Project) Field Notes submitted by Malaria Partners International strategic partner Pilgrim Africa.
Malaria Partners International, together with 26 U.S. and Ugandan Rotary Clubs, are partners on a Rotary global grant “Katakwi Malaria Control Project (KMalaria Partners International), Phase II” currently underway in Katakwi District of Uganda. This innovative project is being conducted in collaboration by a number of strategic partners, including Pilgrim Africa (a U.S. and Uganda based NGO), Rotary International, the President’s Malaria Initiative, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Soroti Central Rotary Club is local host club on the Rotary global grant, and is working closely with Pilgrim Africa to provide logistic support and project oversight.
Step one in the execution of Phase II has been to analyze results from the baseline survey of current malaria prevalence in the community. This survey also acts as the final survey for the Phase I global grant, now completed. Microscopy specialists (in Photo one below) are examining thin blood smears collected from people living in randomly selected households in the project area to determine how many people have the malaria parasite in their blood. Their work is critical to analyzing how well interventions of Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), mass drug administration (MDA), and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) have worked over the last two and a half years to reduce malaria prevalence in Katakwi. The baseline for Phase II allows measurement of future community case management effectiveness in keeping those malaria transmission rates low. Survey results will be ready soon.
Currently the KMalaria Partners International team is busy preparing the last week of a 5-week training process for the Village Health Teams (VHTs) who will conduct integrated community case management for malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia throughout the project area over the next two years. All 210 VHTs have been trained to conduct testing and treating for these common household killers, to counsel and educate caregivers on net use, nutrition, and postnatal infant care, but also to enter data on mobile phones. We can’t wait to see them graduate and begin their important work in the community!