Page 100 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025
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The MRG was also a recipient of a sub-award of
$714,826 from the University of Washington via the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The study focuses
on the feasibility of weekly at-home dried blood
spot (DBS) collections as a malaria epidemiology
investigative tool in low transmission settings. The
study will indicate as to whether people living in areas
of low disease burden are inclined to test themselves
for malaria as well as whether they would allow a
health professional to test them. The impact is three-
fold viz. people are capacitated to test themselves,
the number of positive cases determined, and
reduced dependency on health care personnel.
Building Capacity Through
Training, Mentorship, and Support
The MRG provided various capacity-building
initiatives for malaria control staff in each of the
three malaria-endemic provinces of KwaZulu-
Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The training
encompassed the specific areas of:
(1) Entomological surveillance,
(2) Mosquito collections,
(3) Insectary Management,
(4) Project Management,
(5) Diagnostic tools and
(6) Epidemiology.
These areas of capacity development assisted
in filling knowledge gaps and empowering field
staff to work more confidently and efficiently when
conducting various aspects of their work. The MRG
also provided infrastructure development to the
provinces to facilitate the effective maintenance and
running of their insectaries.
The Unit Director currently supervises postgraduate
students at the University of Pretoria, University of
KZN and University of Stellenbosch.
Navigating the Impact of US
Executive Orders on Funding
The MRG has not been affected by the funding Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative 2 is
freeze as the Group does not receive money from aimed at finding the insecticide resistance
the Federal Government of the US. profile of vectors in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and
KwaZulu-Natal – Indoor residual spraying (IRS)
is a tool employed in SA to control vectors and
reduce malaria transmission.
98 SAMRC ANNUAL REPOR T 2024-25
