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Mekong
Malaria Programme
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Highlight
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Meeting on the Lao PDR National Strategic Plan for Malaria
2011-2015, Vientiane,
Lao DPR, 7 July 2010
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The
meeting attended by 40 participants was chaired by the Director of the Communicable
Disease Department of the MOH. Two presentations summarized goals, targets,
objectives, interventions and indicators of the 5-year malaria strategic
plan in Lao PDR taking into account the updated malaria stratification,
specific interventions by strata and substantial progress made by the programme and partners in Lao PDR to reduce malaria
morbidity and mortality over the last 5 years. The document is expected to
be endorsed by the MOPH in the coming weeks to be implemented in
collaboration with other health departments and relevant ministries. The
malaria strategy has to contribute and be aligned with the 2010-20 Lao PDR
poverty alleviation plan. The updated stratification classifies villages
according to 3 levels of malaria endemicity based
on surveillance data [confirmed cases / 1000 per year] when available with
still 421 remote villages of unknown malaria prevalence and around 900
endemic villages out of a total of 10,000 in Lao PDR. Participants
acknowledge effort made by the national programme
and partners like WHO who have contributed to the
improved knowledge of malaria prevalence and incidence in Lao PDR per
village and who have contributed to clearly outline the strategy with
increased control effort in the 469 remaining high endemic villages and
increased attention on those of yet unknown incidence. Questions raised
refer to 1) clarification on mechanisms used to engage private providers
and keep access of patients to good services with fees, clarification on
the national PPM strategy to actually involve on the long run pharmacies
and private sector providers towards malaria goals. The PPM [malaria]
strategy is actually piloted in 3 districts with more than 80 participating
pharmacies and 10 private health care facilities, 2) data management in
relation to quality of data generated and displayed, and 3) what are the
mechanisms in place to progressively integrate [vertical] malaria
interventions especially at community level into the primary health care
system.
Presenters
reiterated that the 5-year malaria strategy is not perfect and needs
improvement over time with welcome inputs from other health departments,
other ministries [in relation to ongoing and future huge development
projects mainly supported by China, etc.] and partners.
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Workshop to Finalize the Supplementary non GMP Indicators and
Surveillance M&E Framework to Strengthen Malaria Surveillance and
M&E in the Greater Mekong Subregion, Phnom
Penh, Cambodia, 6-7 May 2010
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Country
representatives from all Mekong countries except from China, interested partners [e.g. Malaria
Consortium and Measure Evaluation] and WHO staff from SEARO an WPRO
participated in the Surveillance, Monitoring and Evaluation [SM&E]
bi-regional Workshop organized in Phnom
Penh, Cambodia
from 6 to 7 May 2010. On May 6, all
non GMP indicators were reviewed one by one with country working group
giving feed back / ranking on the importance of keeping proposed indicators
as part of their country M&E S framework and providing inputs on the
feasibility of implementing them [priority might be high but feasibility
low]. Feed back will be consolidated by MEASURE Evaluation with first country
test in Cambodia
the week after as part of consolidation of GF grants and national strategic
plan. Other GMS countries will follow with priority to Viet Nam
which is finalizing its National strategic plan which has to include a
strong long term SM&E plan.
On May
7, presentations were made by Mac Otten,
coordinator SM&E in the GMP Geneva. Emphasis was put on collecting and
reporting confirmed malaria cases from the most peripheral administrative
unit while moving towards malaria [pre]-elimination with description of
roles and functions of all levels (HCF, district, province and National).
Acknowledgment was made that almost all GMS countries are moving to a line
case recording / investigation and reporting system which has to be better
harmonized through appropriate guidance from WHO. It was suggested as well
to map malaria endemicity at least per district
in all countries according to specific criteria as per WHO guidelines (e.g.
Test Positivity Rate (TPR) or API threshold attached to specific malaria control
or elimination interventions). If mapping malaria endemicity
is highly requested, this exercise remains a challenge to be implemented
since there is no simple and standardized IT instrument / software package
so far promoted by WHO to Member States to map any diseases including
malaria. Partners are then offering help on IT including mapping but it was
recognized that standardization is needed across countries including
articulation with the general routine health information system. Harmonized
monthly and quarterly reporting were discussed as well to be ultimately
supported, consolidated and managed at regional level with HQ/GMP support.
It was recognized that coordinated TA and guidance (e.g. SM&E training
package) has to be provided to national malaria programmes
by WHO and partners
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Upcoming Events
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 USAID Mekong
Malaria Core Partners’ Meeting
Date: 21-22 September 2010
Venue: Laguna Beach
Resort, Phuket,
Thailand
M&E Framework to
Strengthen Malaria Surveillance and Monitoring & Evaluation in the GMS
Date: 23 September 2010
Venue: Laguna Beach
Resort, Phuket,
Thailand
Elimination
Strategies and New Tools and Indicators
Date: 24 September 2010
Venue: Laguna Beach
Resort, Phuket,
Thailand
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WHO Thailand MMP Contact
Person
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Dr Charles
Delacollette
Coordinator, Mekong Malaria Programme
Email: Delacollettec@searo.who.int
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More information
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