BIMEP | MCD Global Health

The Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project (BIMEP) is an award-winning, public-private partnership on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea, that began in 2004 as the Bioko Island Malaria Control Project (BIMCP). Since then, the project has grown and evolved with the goal of eliminating malaria from the island and strengthening the country's health systems and workforce.

There was an estimated total of more than 422,800 cases of malaria in 2023 with more than 750 estimated deaths in Equatorial Guinea, according to the World Health Organization.

Location

Equatorial Guinea, Africa

Partners

Ifakara Health Institute, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at University of Washington, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Sanaria, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, and Texas A&M University

Funders

Atlantic Methanol (AMPCO), GEPetrol, Government of Equatorial Guinea, Marathon Oil, Noble Energy EG Ltd (A Chevron Company), and SonaGas

Duration

2004–Present

Contact

Wonder Philip Phiri
Equatorial Guinea Country Director
wphiri@mcd.org

Challenges

There are challenges that Bioko Island is facing in eliminating malaria. Some of these include:

Malaria importation: Frequent human travel between Bioko Island and mainland Africa exposes the island to malaria parasites being constantly imported due to travelers infected with malaria.
Land-use change: Increasing land development creates changes in land use that provide the means for mosquito breeding sites to form, which sustains the local mosquito population.
Resilient vector populations: Local mosquito populations continue to persist in hot spots.

Results

20+

years controlling malaria on Bioko Island and strengthening the health system.

75%

reduction in malaria prevalence.

77%+

reduction in child mortality.

The 20-year-old partnership with the Government of Equatorial Guinea and private companies has allowed the BIMEP to build strong ties with local authorities. Sustaining malaria control for a long, consistent period has made great impact on the malaria burden.

Before 2004, around half of Bioko Island’s population was infected with malaria. Currently, prevalence is under 10%, meaning a reduction in cases. The BIMEP has formally documented and even quantified the challenges. This has resulted in an evidence base that informs adaptive strategies to respond to challenges.

Recent Publications

Regular Plasmodium falciparum importation onto Bioko Island, Equatorial Gui...

Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project (BIMEP) Malaria Indicator Survey 2...

Impact of six-month COVID-19 travel moratorium on Plasmodium falciparum pre...

“Malaria was always the leading cause of morbidity and mortality on Bioko, but now, however, there is a decrease in child morbidity and mortality and maternal deaths thanks in part to the strategies of the NMCP with the support of MCD Global Health. To date, the Ministry of Health has taken as a model the guidelines from the malaria control program, which were largely established by MCD.”

—Matilde Riloha-Rivas
Director, National Malaria Control Program
Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea

Highlights of Our Work

A woman with children and another woman hanging a bed net over a bed.

Learning how to hang an insecticide-treated bednet to prevent potential mosquito bites during the night.

BIMEP staff member analyzing data to determine malaria case management efforts.

BIMEP staff member looking through hard and digital files to determine case management in mitigating mosquito populations on Bioko Island.

BIMEP staff member conducting a rapid diagnostic test on a child's finger to test for malaria.

BIMEP staff member conducting a malaria rapid diagnostic test by drawing blood from a child's finger on Bioko Island.

Seasonal workers being trained on how to properly conduct indoor residential spraying campaigns.

Numerous times a year, seasonal workers are trained and sent out to conduct indoor residential spraying to help prevent malaria from spreading.

BIMEP staff working on analyzing and mitigating a mosquito breeding ground.

Larviciding, an insecticide used to kill mosquito larvae before they grow into adults, has historical success in controlling mosquito populations, especially in urban settings where breeding sites are more accessible.

Project History

MCD receives P3 Impact Award

U.S. Department of State awarded MCD and partners P3 Impact Award for work done through Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project

2019
Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project formed

Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project (BIMEP) established to use monitoring and evaluation, surveillance, and preventative approaches in controlling malaria in Equatorial Guinea

2019
Next Generation Malaria Vaccine Candidate coalition formed

MCD's BIMCP became part of a coalition of more than 65 research institutions, led by Sanaria, Inc., in developing a whole parasite Plasmodium falciparum (PfSPZ) vaccine.

2013
Bioko Island Malaria Control Project established

The Bioko Island Malaria Control Project was established and applied mosquito-control strategies on the island, including indoor residual spraying, LLIN distribution, entomological monitoring, etc.

2004

Eliminating Malaria on Bioko Island