The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), a strategic military partner of the United States, received a supply of mosquito surveillance and control equipment courtesy of the Navy Entomology Center of Excellence (NECE), August 2020.
The shipment, which also included needed laboratory supplies, was the first of many and will play an integral role in GAF’s ability to combat malaria.
Malaria is the leading disease threat to the Department of Defense (DoD), and the focus of the Africa Malaria Task Force (AMTF). AMTF was started in 2011 by USAFRICOM to improve DoD’s military partners’ fight against malaria by bringing leaders and experts together facilitating a multi-country African military to military collaboration.
In 2019, the World Health Organization reported that Africa as a whole has the highest number of reported cases of malaria mainly attributed by insecticide resistance, expensive alternatives insecticides, and lack of access of care. Ghana and Nigeria lead with the most malaria cases.
The impact of infectious diseases threats on Service Members in such an environment is amplified, so prevention is critical for maintaining combat effectiveness. A unit deployed to a high-risk malaria endemic area for an extended period that experiences delays in resupply of diagnostic tests, preventative and treatment drugs can rapidly succumb to infection and rendered combat ineffective.
“The project is a great demonstration of the importance of a strong Operational Entomology Program as well as an Integrated Vector Management strategy that directly impacts Force Health Protection and Readiness,” said Capt. George Schoeler, NECE Officer in Charge.
Funding for the project comes from the Global Health Research Initiative (GHERI). The project is managed by the Center of Global Health Engagement at the Uniformed Services University, which supports operational research efforts endorsed by and at the service of Combatant Commands (CCMDs).
GHERI’s portfolio consists of research projects that meet the demand signal of CCMDs, captured through the Joint Staff Surgeon’s Office, and focuses on research topics that support operational efforts that will meet the needs of the Joint Forces.
NECE’s GHERI project will use previously acquired skills from the AMTF tactical training as the foundation to create a data driven entomology program contributing to a holistic control program. This program will establish a regional entomology hub in West Africa for other AMTF partners to benefit from in the future.
“NECE’s global health projects inherently have mutual capacity building benefits for our partners as well as allows NECE and other DoD laboratories to leverage these multinational efforts in the interest of Public Health,” added Schoeler.
A primary goal of the AMTF is to assist partner militaries in supporting the development of relationships with their National Malaria Control Programs (NMCP). Based on that goal, future AMTF events will take “whole of government” approach bringing all stakeholder agencies together, building sustainable partnerships between Ghana’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the Ministry of Health (MoH).
“As a US Navy public health professional, it has been rewarding to work with our international partners to build capacity to make such a positive impact,” added Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Lydia Alphonse, NECE Leading Petty Officer and GHERI Project Coordinator.
Enhancing one of the stronger AMTF partners such as GAF with a comprehensive entomology research and control program that can be leveraged by Ghana’s MoH and other regional partners comes at a critical time for malaria control efforts. Since 2001, there was a significant decline in malaria prevalence in endemic areas across Africa.
“One of the major goals of this project is to establish a sustainable entomology laboratory for the Ghana Armed Forces and Ghana Police Services,” said Navy entomologist Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Diclaro, NECE AOIC and Principal Investigator. “This lab is to not only benefit the Ghanaian Public Health initiatives, but serve as a regional hub to meet AFRCIOM Africa Malaria Task Force Objectives.”
| Date Taken: | 08.25.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.25.2020 13:49 |
| Story ID: | 376754 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 208 |
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This work, Navy Entomology Center Supports African Partners In Fight Against Malaria, by Hugh Cox, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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