The StopPalu+ program, led by RTI International, supported the Guinean National Malaria Control Program in achieving the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI)’s target of reducing malaria morbidity and mortality by 75% through malaria diagnostics.
StopPalu+ addressed gaps in malaria prevention and control by supporting essential health service delivery, behavior change communication, capacity building and supervision, disease surveillance, and monitoring and evaluation. The effort worked across 19 districts in Guinea to increase the use of insecticide-treated nets, offer seasonal malaria chemoprevention to children, provide preventive therapy for pregnant women, and strengthen prompt care-seeking and treatment.
Our team provided technical assistance to improve malaria diagnostic capacities at all levels of the health system, including training of trainers and laboratory technicians, introducing rapid diagnostic testing and providing job aids to community health workers, and conducting malaria diagnosis refresher training as well as testing and certifying laboratory technicians in malaria microscopy.
As a result of these trainings and supervisions, 15 microscopists are now qualified to participate in a World Health Organization external competency assessment for malaria microscopy (ECAMM) where 13 achieved level 1 accreditation and two achieved level 2 certifications at Pre-ECAMM. Also, 10 microscopists became WHO-accredited experts. In addition, 14 participants, including three women, participated in Train the Trainer workshops and are certified to teach malaria diagnosis to other health care workers.
In 2018, right as this project started, it was discovered that 46% of microscopes in health facilities of Guinea were in poor-working condition. With MCD’s expertise, the StopPalu+ project developed and distributed a microscope maintenance manual that is used in all laboratories throughout the country. Also, a training manual for laboratory technicians was revised and distributed, as well.
The project contributed to reducing malaria cases from 44% to 17% in Guinea at the project's conclusion.
“With the introduction of the SurveyCTO tool on tablets during outreach training and supportive supervision (OTSS) rounds in the laboratories, the tasks have been streamlined with a rapidity that is unprecedented. All data is directly entered, analyzed, and archived; distribution of information is done instantly; and we no longer use excess paper during our supervisions.
