Inform!Asia:!USAID’s!Health!Research!Program!AA!2!

The program aims to improve health outcomes in Thailand and Lao PDR through evidence-based health research results. The program's objectives include conducting research and capacity-building activities, generating and disseminating strategic and operational results, and providing technical support to the National Malaria Control Program. The program's first year (FY2016) work plan was developed by the Inform Asia Center of Excellence (COE) in consultation with USAID and covers the period from September 24, 2015, to September 30, 2016. The program's activities are focused on assessing malaria surveillance and OR needs to inform malaria programming in Thailand and Lao PDR, providing technical support for anti-malarial drug therapeutic efficacy studies (TES) in Thailand, conducting an assessment of malaria elimination models in Thailand, and providing technical assistance to the Lao PDR NMCP to strengthen malaria surveillance systems. The program's progress in Quarter 2 (January 1 to March 31, 2016) includes the continuation of TES implementation in Thailand by Tess Thombuth, a consultant through December 31, 2016. Three BVBD staff attended a 6-day training visit on laboratory methods for detecting genetic markers associated with anti-malarial drug resistance at the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, from February 7 to March 27. The training was designed to provide a hands-on exercise for laboratory scientists as part of the effort to strengthen the monitoring of the therapeutic efficacy of anti-malarial drugs in the Mekong region. The program's indicators for Year 1 are listed in Exhibit 1, which includes standard indicators, baseline, FY2015, annual, target, Q1, Q2, annual performance, and performance achieved to the end of the reporting period. The indicators include the percentage of people scoring 80 or above on training post-tests, the number of people trained, disaggregated by training area, and the number of information products launched through Inform Asia's COE. The program's progress in Quarter 2 includes the implementation of TES in Thailand, the training of BVBD staff on laboratory methods for detecting genetic markers associated with anti-malarial drug resistance, and the development of a costed action plan for conducting a data systems requirement assessment. The program's challenges include the need for continued technical assistance to the Lao PDR NMCP to strengthen malaria surveillance systems and the need for further support for the implementation of TES in Thailand. The program's management and administrative issues include the need for continued technical assistance to the Lao PDR NMCP to strengthen malaria surveillance systems and the need for further support for the implementation of TES in Thailand. The program's planned activities for the next quarter include conducting a data systems requirement assessment, launching information products through Inform Asia's COE, and providing technical support for the implementation of TES in Thailand. The program's financial report for the quarter ending March 31, 2016, is included in Annex A. The report shows a total expenditure of $X, which includes personnel costs, travel, and other expenses. The program's budget for the next quarter is $Y, which includes personnel costs, travel, and other expenses. The program's planned activities for the next quarter include conducting a data systems requirement assessment, launching information products through Inform Asia's COE, and providing technical support for the implementation of TES in Thailand.