Poster Presentation First Malaria World Congress 2018

Establishing mobile outreach teams (mots) for strengthening active case detection in vietnam 2017-2020 (#465)

Ha Nam Nguyen 1 , Xuan Thang Nguyen 1 , Gary Dahl 2 , James O'Donnell 3 , Vashti Irani 3 , Sara Canavati 3 , Jack Richards 3 , Duc Thang Ngo 1 , Thanh Duong Tran 1
  1. National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology, Entomology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
  2. Health Poverty Action, London, United Kingdom
  3. Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia

Mobile Migrant Populations (MMPs) are a key population for containing the spread of malaria in the border areas between Cambodia and Vietnam. Mobile Outreach Teams (MOTs) provide a potential approach to target malaria elimination activities for MMPs who may not be strongly supported by the regular village-based and clinic-based health services. This work describes the implementation of MOTs in Binh Phuoc and Dak Nong Provinces, which are high-risk regions along the Viet Nam-Cambodia border. These activities were conducted as part of the Regional Artemisinin-resistance Initiative (RAI) in 2017. Each MOT was comprised of 2 Commune Health Staff and 1 Village Health Worker (VHW) from the village nearest to the outreach area. All MOT members were provided with smartphones and were trained on how to use the EpiCollect5 app to track malaria cases, record mapping information and upload real-time reports of these malaria cases. MOTs conducted 5-day outreach activities every month. These activities began with scouting out locations of the MMP communities. Once located, the MOTs geo-tagged the location of the community, conducted a short epidemiological survey on the community and screened for malaria using Rapid Diagnostic Tests and blood smear microscopy. Active malaria cases were provided with treatment according to the National guidelines, and Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets were distributed based on results of diagnosis and the survey. This has led to increased diagnosis, treatment and interventions for malaria for MMPs and an improved understanding of malaria prevention practices for MMPs. It has also established a system of real-time data collection of malaria cases among MMPs. This work highlights how MOTs can target the previously unreached populations of MMPs to strengthen malaria surveillance and active case responses to reduce malaria transmission in Viet Nam.