The project "Strengthening community participation in malaria prevention and control in Vietnam" funded by the Global Fund was approved and put into operation in Gia Lai from October 2016, with project field in over 74 communes of Gia Lai province. The project has recruited 120 members from 74 communes for the Community Malaria Prevention Group (CMAT). Those candidates were chosen through interviews and project-based criterias by the Commune Health Facilities.

                                             Members were practicing with data collection software about malaria on smartphone

                                                           Project M&E Officer was instructing CMAT members to practice with software

CMAT members ’s main activities are to raise awareness about malaria prevention, provide items, detect suspected malaria cases and support adherence to treatment for people going to the forest to work and sleep there, which make them high at risk of malaria. From that on, it is expected that malaria morbidity and mortality in the community will be considerably reduced. Up to now, the project has deployed 5 training courses on data collection and capacity building for CMAT members in Gia Lai province. Through training, CMAT members collected information on 6,890 customers who are forest goers and sleepers; transferred 65 suspected cases of malaria, of which 16 cases were positive and supported adherence to treatment. In addition, the CMAT group also organized personal communication and distributes curtains to forest goers and sleepers.

The project "Enhancing community participation in prevention and elimination of malaria in Vietnam" funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is carried out by 4 local non-profit organizations, in which the Center for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI) is primarily responsible. The project has currently being implemented in 4 provinces: Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Binh Phuoc.

Source: BaoGiaLai