ENDEMIC AND COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROL (MALARIA COMPONENT)

Evaluation covers the period 1/1/79-12/31/79 and is based on the annual report of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the implementing agency. Organization of an epidemiology laboratory was delayed by the lack of electrical and plumbing services and laboratory tables. Expected vehicles did not arrive, constricting team mobility. Project activities were in two major areas -- epidemiology and spraying. Project staff are conducting entomological studies of adults and larvae. Over the second half of the year, monthly visits were made to 28 dispensaries in the Masina Zone and 29 in the Ndjili Zone to collect data on fever case incidence. At Masina, 42% of the total patient load of 24,640 were fever cases; 85% of the patients aged 15 or under had fever. The fever incidence was even greater at Ndjili: 62.7% of the 37,154 patients, and 85.2% of children aged 15 or less. Finally, susceptibility tests of mosquito species were conducted and An. gambiae was found susceptible to DDT 4%. During June and July of 1979 the two zones were sprayed with insecticide. Approximately 150 local unemployed persons were hired as spraymen; the spraying action took 28 working days. More than 192,000 persons were directly protected by the spraying, which affected 87% of the Masina households and 75% of those in Ndjili. Reduction of the number of anopheline mosquitos will indirectly benefit more than 250,000 persons. The USAID Malaria Advisor spent two months on a study tour of U.S. insect control activities. The tour included participation in a CDC mosquito control refresher course as well as visits to mosquito control centers in Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana. The tour helped identify potential project resources and increased understanding mosquito abatement technology. A cholera vaccination program took place under emergency conditions in August and September. The epidemiological staff assisted in giving innoculations and controlling crowds aboard the infected river boat.