Supporting frontline malaria workers through field monitoring visits 16.02.2019

UNOPS-PR malaria team and MHAA field staff on a field monitoring visit to Paletwa Township in western Chin State. This is one of the least developed areas of the country and its difficult terrain and transportation challenges pose barriers for malaria-affected communities there to access quality healthcare services.

UNOPS-PR malaria team and Myanmar Health Assistant Association (MHAA) field staff on a field monitoring visit to Paletwa Township in western Chin State. This is one of the least developed areas of the country and its difficult terrain and transportation challenges create barriers for malaria-affected communities to access quality healthcare services. Photo: UNOPS

The RAI2E programme is working with partners on the frontline to accelerate elimination of malaria in the Greater Mekong Subregion. UNOPS-PR team in Myanmar regularly go on field monitoring visits to RAI2E implementation sites, which are often in the hardest-to-reach and least developed areas of the country.

The remote Paletwa Township in Chin State, partially covered by dense rainforest, is located in the far western part of Myanmar.

UNOPS-PR team in Myanmar regularly go on field monitoring visits to RAI2E implementation sites, which are often in the hardest-to-reach and least developed areas of the country. One such area is Chin State, the state/region with the second highest number of malaria cases in Myanmar, and 25 per cent of all cases in the country (according to the January–June 2018 progress report).

Supported by the Global Fund, MHAA has been implementing its ‘Empowering communities for malaria control towards malaria elimination in Myanmar’ since 2018. The MHAA field team regularly conducts field monitoring visits to frontline malaria posts, to empower MHAA-trained integrated community malaria volunteers for early malaria case detection and treatment adherence through DOT service provision. Photo: UNOPS
Supported by the Global Fund, MHAA has been implementing its project ‘Empowering communities for malaria control towards malaria elimination in Myanmar’ since 2018. The MHAA field team regularly conducts field monitoring visits to frontline malaria posts, to empower MHAA-trained integrated community malaria volunteers for early malaria case detection and treatment adherence through DOT service provision. Photo: UNOPS

RAI2E partners Myanmar Health Assistant Association (MHAA) and Medical Action Myanmar (MAM) are implementing Global Fund-supported malaria activities in Paletwa Township, from where 98 per cent of the total malaria cases in Chin State originate.

 “Two thirds of the partners’ target villages are in hard-to-reach areas, between 70 and 80 miles from Paletwa town,” explains Dr Zaw Win Tun, UNOPS-PR Malaria Public Health Officer.

The RAI2E country component team visited Paletwa Township 14–22 October 2018. This was one of 19 field monitoring visits the RAI2E team went on in 2018. Malaria is often prevalent in remote forested areas, where access to quality healthcare is most limited, and the need is greatest. Transportation of healthcare supplies to vulnerable rural communities is difficult, and collection of data from these areas is also challenging. Regular visits to RAI2E implementation areas to gain reliable information is crucial for tracking the progress of malaria control and preventing the spread of drug resistance.  

Through these field monitoring visits with partners, supportive supervision of integrated community malaria volunteers (ICMVs) at frontline malaria health posts helps improve data quality, monitoring, recording and reporting of drug stock. 

UNOPS-PR malaria team and MHAA field staff visiting frontline malaria posts, to empower MHAA-trained integrated community malaria volunteers for early malaria case detection and treatment adherence through DOT service provision. Photo: UNOPS
UNOPS-PR malaria team and MHAA field staff visiting frontline malaria posts, to empower MHAA-trained integrated community malaria volunteers for early malaria case detection and treatment adherence through DOT service provision. Photo: UNOPS

The field monitoring visits also aim to build ICMVs’ skills in malaria case-finding, case management, directly observed treatment (DOT) adherence, health education and community mobilization for successful community-based malaria prevention and control. These on-site training visits enable the ICMVs to meet the needs of vulnerable malaria-affected communities in remote rural areas, through access to malaria prevention, and prompt and effective diagnosis and treatment services.

In 2018, UNOPS-PR conducted a total of 46 field visits to Global Fund supported projects in various townships across 17 states and regions in Myanmar and across the Greater Mekong Subregion countries. The RAI2E team conducted 19 out of these visits, 15 under the RAI2E Country Component and 4 under the RAI2E Regional Component.