Project Name: Enabling Private Health Facilities to adopt government Malaria Guidelines, Rotary Malaria Committee
Location: Toulepleu, Côte d’Ivoire
Host Rotary Club(s): Rotary Malaria Committee of Côte d’Ivoire
Grant Awarded: $9,255
Funding Year: 2025
Project Summary: The Rotary Malaria Committee of Cote d’Ivoire equipped the laboratory of Toulepleu General Hospital with two microscopes and screens, 1,000 microscope slides, …The Rotary Malaria Committee of Cote d’Ivoire equipped the laboratory of Toulepleu General Hospital with two microscopes and screens, 1,000 microscope slides, a medical refrigerator, and four micropipettes, then trained eight laboratory technicians over three days in updated malaria diagnostic protocols, equipment maintenance, and blood smear analysis, with two certified trainers from the Pasteur Institute and the PNLP delivering the workshop and certificates awarded to all participants. On the community side, two district-wide sensitization tours were conducted across Toulepleu, distributing flyers and reaching over 300 residents with malaria prevention messaging, with additional awareness delivered at a public equipment handover ceremony attended by Minister of State Anne Ouloto where the District Health Director used the occasion to promote testing at the hospital. More than 50 community members participated in a coordinated environmental clean-up of mosquito breeding sites across the city, with sanitation equipment provided by the ANAGED agency and the Municipality of Toulepleu committing to repeat clean-up activities every three months to sustain the environmental management effort.
Project Activities and Outcomes:
Activity 1 – Commitment of the Ministry of Health through the National Malaria Control Program. Meetings were held with the Director of the National Malaria Control Program (PNLP) and working sessions with the PNLP Communications Officer and her team to prepare the project, along with a meeting with the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Health. In total, 3 meetings were held with the PNLP and one with the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Health, resulting in formal commitment from the Ministry of Health.
Activity 2 – Commitment from local authorities in Toulepleu. Meetings were held with the Director of the Health District, the Hospital Director, the Prefect of the Toulepleu Region, the Mayor of Toulepleu, and the security forces — four meetings in total with local authorities — securing their commitment to the project.
Activity 3 – Laboratory staff training. Three trainers were identified from the Pasteur Institute and the National Malaria Control Program, and 8 participants were identified for training; the training room and equipment were also arranged. Training ran from November 29th to October 2nd, 2025, covering ten training modules. Two trainers ultimately delivered the training, and seven participants completed it, with certificates awarded to both trainers and participants following a final evaluation.
Activity 4 – Laboratory and sanitation equipment. MPI purchased two microscopes with screens and slides from China, and a medical refrigerator and pipettes were purchased in Abidjan; the equipment was presented to the PNLP before being transported to Toulepleu. The Toulepleu Health District received 2 microscopes with accessories (10″ screens and adapters), 20 boxes of microscope slides (50 per box), 1 laboratory refrigerator, and 4 micropipettes of various sizes. Separately, the ANAGED agency acquired a large quantity of sanitation equipment. All equipment was handed over to the Toulepleu Health District.
Activity 5 – Cleaning. Cleanup sites were identified jointly by the Toulepleu Health District, the Toulepleu Town Hall, law enforcement, the local population, and Rotarians, and waste collection was carried out. More than 50 people were mobilized, supported by a garbage collection tractor. The initiative raised community awareness of sanitation as a way to prevent mosquito breeding, and the Municipality and Health District have since institutionalized clean-up activities every three months.
Activity 6 – Public awareness. Two tours of the Toulepleu Health District were conducted among the population, alongside community mobilization and flyer distribution, educating 200 people about malaria in addition to the Rotarians involved. At a ceremony where Minister of State Anne Ouloto handed over medical equipment to the Toulepleu health district, the Director used the occasion to educate attendees on the importance of malaria testing and to publicly present the Rotary donation.
Activity 7 – Local radio awareness. This activity is still in progress — the local radio station is currently out of service, and the team is waiting for repairs before continuing the awareness campaign with the Health District.