In Vanuatu, malaria has historically been one of the leading causes of ill health. The country is a disparate rural archipelago consisting of 83 islands across six provinces. Sustained efforts by the Ministry of Health’s National Malaria Programme supported by the Global Fund, DFAT and WHO over the past several years have seen significant reduction in malaria prevalence. This has been accomplished through strengthening and improving access to diagnostic tests, improving access to effective treatment, achieving high coverage of LLINs, engaging with communities and with technical support from key partners.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has been supporting Vanuatu’s efforts to eliminate malaria since 2003. As a result, Tafea province, one of the six Vanuatu provinces was declared malaria free in 2017. Two other provinces are in the elimination stage. The Government made a high level commitment to eliminate malaria by 2025.
With its new grant for 2018-2020, the Global Fund and UNDP as the Principal Recipient are seeking to maintain an 81% coverage of LLINs in the population and ensure that each household has at least one LLIN, all children under the age of 5 years sleep under an LLIN, all pregnant women sleep under the protection of LLIN, by the end of 2018, the annual parasite incidence rate is reduced to < 2.5 per 1,000 nationally, the annual parasite incidence rate is reduced to < 1 per 1,000 in one additional province (Torba) and zero confirmed deaths from malaria is maintained. By the end of 2020, the annual parasite incidence rate is reduced to < 1 per 1,000 nationally and zero confirmed deaths from malaria is maintained.
The proposed poster presentation aims at providing details of the Global Fund’s support to malaria elimination in Vanuatu.