Defeat Malaria Activity Quarterly Report (FY17Q1) DEFEAT MALARIA Defeat Malaria Activity Quarterly Progress Report October 01, 2016 to December 31, 2016 Submission Date: January 31, 2017 Agreement Number: AID-482-A-16-00003 Agreement Period: August 15, 2016 to August 14, 2021 AOR Name: Mya Sapal Ngon Submitted by: May Aung Lin, Chief of Party University of Research Co., LLC. Room 602, 6th Floor, Shwe Than Lwin Condominium New University Ave. Rd., Battan Township Yangon, Myanmar Email: [email protected] This document was produced by University Research Co., LLC (URC) for review and approval by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Defeat Malaria Activity Quarterly Report (FY17Q1) Table of Contents Acronyms ............................................................................................................................. 2 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3 2. Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................ 3 3. Implementation Progress ......................................................................................... 4 3.1 Quarterly Summary ........................................................................................................................ 4 Objective 1: Achieve and maintain universal coverage of at-risk populations with proven vector control and case management interventions, while promoting the testing of new tools and approaches. ............................................................................................................................................................... 6 Objective 2: Strengthen the malaria surveillance system to comprehensively monitor progress and better inform the deployment and targeting of appropriate responses and strategies. ...................... 15 Objective 3: Enhance technical and operational capacity of the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) and other health service providers at all levels of service provision. ...................................... 15 Objective 4: Promote the involvement of communities, private healthcare providers, private companies and state-owned enterprises in malaria control and elimination initiatives. ...................... 16 4. Challenges and Opportunities .............................................................................. 16 5. Jan-March 2017 Planned Activities ...................................................................... 17 6. Annexes ..................................................................................................................... 19 6.1 Annex 1– Performance Indicators Tracking Table ................................................................ 19 1 Last Updated: January 30, 2017 Defeat Malaria Activity Quarterly Report (FY17Q1) ACRONYMS ACT Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy AOR Agreement Officer Representative ARC American Refugee Committee BCC Behavior Change Communication BHS Basic Health Staff CBO Community-based Organizations COP Chief of Party CSR Corporate Social Responsibility DCOP Deputy Chief of Party DOPH Department of Public Health DOT Directly Observed Treatment IP Implementing Partners ITN Insecticide treated net KDHW Kayin Department of Health and Welfare LLIN Longlasting Insecticide Net M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MHAA Myanmar Health Assistant Association MMP Mobile migrant population MNMA Myanmar Nurses and Midwifery Association MoHS Minstry of Health and Sport NGO Non-government Organizations NMCP National Malaria Control Program NSA Non-state actors PMI President’s Malaria Initiative PP Private Providers QAQC Quality Assurance/Quality Control RAI Regional Artemisinin Initiative RDT Rapid diagnostic tests SOP Standard Operation Procedures TPR Test Positivity Rate URC University Research Co., LLC VBDC Vector Borne Disease Control VBS Village Based Stratification VMW Village Malaria Worker 2 Last Updated: January 30, 2017 Defeat Malaria Activity Quarterly Report (FY17Q1) 1. INTRODUCTION Despite a drastic reduction in morbidity and mortality, persistent malaria is seen at border areas, hard-to-reach hot spots and among vulnerable populations. The continued high malaria burden can be attributed to a combination of the following factors: • A relatively large portion of the population live in or near forested areas or have occasional exposure to forested areas. • Specific malaria control investments have been inadequate, leaving large gaps in finance and service delivery areas. • Topography and climatic conditions are favorable for transmission of malaria, and presence of difference species of efficient vectors also enhances transmission. • Limited information is available for areas controlled by non-state actors (NSA) which are not accessible by the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP). Service delivery is further complicated by differing languages and beliefs related to health The need to sustain progress made is rendered more urgent by artemisinin resistance, which has already spread over much of Eastern and Upper Burma. To prevent spread of drug- resistance, intensified malaria control activities must be conducted across the country. The USAID/Burma Defeat Malaria Activity responds to these challenges, building on the achievements of the USAID│PMI Control and Prevention of Malaria Project (CAP-Malaria), implemented by University Research Co., LLC (URC in Burma, Cambodia, and Thailand. 2. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The overall goal of Defeat Malaria is to reduce the malaria burden and control artemisinin- resistant malaria in the target areas, and contribute to the long-term national goal of eliminating malaria in Myanmar. This will be achieved by expanding coverage of community- based prevention and case management services, prioritizing highly endemic and hard-to- reach areas, mobile and migrant populations, and non-state actor areas. Defeat Malaria will strengthen the capacity of local partners to effectively lead, manage and implement interventions towards the goal of malaria elimination. It will also strengthen the malaria surveillance system to better inform and target interventions, and to monitor progress. Defeat Malaria will engage communities and promote the involvement of the private sector. Defeat Malaria will work with the NMCP and key partners to achieve the following objectives: Objective 1: Achieve and maintain universal coverage of at-risk populations with proven vector control and case management interventions, while promoting the testing of new tools and approaches. Objective 2: Strengthen the malaria surveillance system to comprehensively monitor progress and inform the deployment and targeting of appropriate responses and strategies. Objective 3: Enhance technical and operational capacity of the NMCP and other health service providers at all levels of service provision. Objective 4: Promote the involvement of communities, private healthcare providers, private companies and state-owned enterprises in malaria control and elimination initiatives. 3 Last Updated: January 30, 2017 Defeat Malaria Activity Quarterly Report (FY17Q1) Partners American Refugee Committee (ARC), Myanmar Health Assistant Association (MHAA), Myanmar Nurses and Midwifery Association (MNMA), and Jhpiego attended and participated in the meetings conducted for Defeat Malaria in Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon. In addition, partners conducted meetings with respective State and regional level persons on project start-up and implementation activities, analyses on coverage gaps and overlaps with respective Township Health Departments and malaria focal persons. They negotiated with township authorities, local and village level leaders on recruitment of volunteers, and discussed and assessed the status of former CAP-Malaria Village Malaria Workers (VMWs) and Private Providers (PPs). All partners are currently recruiting required human resources for the project implementation. Activity outcomes are reported in respective activity updates. Field staff also contacted former CAP-Malaria VMWs/PPs and village-leaders to assess if they still want to participate during Defeat Malaria. If not, replacements are identified. Field teams also collected a consensus on transportation allowances for health center meetings. 3. IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS 3.1 Quarterly Summary FY17 Q1 saw continued start-up of Defeat Malaria actvities. Together with Dr. Mya Sapal Ngon, the USAID Agreement Officer’s Representative (AOR), Defeat Malaria worked with the State Public Health Director (SPHD) at Hpa-an, Kayin State, to explore areas of collaboration for Defeat Malaria activities and to inform them ARC is Defeat Malaria’s implementing partner for Kayin State. Discussions were also held with the Kayin Department of Health and Welfare (KDHW) to explore possibilities to support KDHW and the Back Pack Health Workers Organization. ARC coordinated with the Kayin State Public Health Director and Tanintharyi Vector Borne Disease Control (VBDC) Team Leaders on area coverage. In Kayin State and three townships in Tanintharyi Region, Defeat Malaria will continue activities in areas covered by CAP-Malaria. Defeat Malaria will discuss implementation in detail once we receive approval of the work plan from the Minstry of Health and Sports (MoHS). On November 7, 2016, a meeting for the dissemination of the “Defeat Malaria Year 1 Work Plan” was conducted in Naypyidaw. The objective was to disseminate the “Defeat Malaria Year 1