A four-day training session on malaria surveillance has begun in Mutsamudu, Comoros, with 35 health professionals in attendance. The workshop, organized by the National Malaria Control Program (Pnlp) with funding from the Global Fund and in collaboration with Chinese experts, aims to enhance the capacity of local actors in malaria surveillance. Participants include experts from Pnlp, district health officials, disease surveillance agents, and data collectors.
The training focuses on validating the operational manual for malaria surveillance with a view to its elimination and capacity building for actors involved in disease surveillance. The workshop also addresses the issue of individuals entering the country through non-conventional routes. According to Dr. Alhidhiri Abdou Salam, the objective is to strengthen the capacities of local actors, adding that the goal is to make participants fully capable of conducting malaria surveillance.
Dr. Abdou Salam explains that surveillance concerns several levels, including not only entry points at borders and health structures but also the community level. He notes that an intervention can be triggered as soon as information is received on individuals entering the country clandestinely, allowing for malaria screening and immediate care if cases are detected among these arrivals.
The training is part of an annual activity aimed at strengthening the capacities of surveillance actors on each island. According to Dr. Salim Abdoulkarim, the country is in the process of eliminating malaria, with Comoros being one of six countries in this phase. He highlights that the situations vary across islands, with Ndzuani and Mwali recording no autochthonous cases but rather imported cases.
Dr. Abdoulkarim notes that Ngazidja is the only island recording autochthonous cases, but efforts are being made to reverse this trend. With the help of the Comorian government and partners, measures are being taken to achieve a similar trend across all islands. The training aims to equip participants with the necessary skills to effectively monitor and respond to malaria cases.
The National Malaria Control Program, in collaboration with international partners, is working to strengthen malaria surveillance and control measures in Comoros. The program's efforts focus on enhancing the capacity of local health professionals to detect and respond to malaria cases, particularly in areas with high transmission rates.
The training session is expected to enhance the skills of health professionals in malaria surveillance, detection, and response, ultimately contributing to the country's goal of eliminating malaria. Key stakeholders, including government officials and international partners, are working together to support Comoros in achieving this goal.
Key points
- Thirty-five health professionals are participating in a four-day training session on malaria surveillance in Mutsamudu, Comoros.
- The training aims to enhance the capacity of local actors in malaria surveillance and validate the operational manual for malaria elimination.
- Comoros is one of six countries in the process of eliminating malaria, with varying situations across its islands.
