Community-owned resource persons for malaria vector control: enabling factors and challenges in an operational programme in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania

Chaki, Prosper P, Dongus, Stefan, Fillinger, Ulrike, Kelly, Ann and Killeen, Gerry ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8583-8739 (2011) 'Community-owned resource persons for malaria vector control: enabling factors and challenges in an operational programme in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania'. Human Resources for Health, Vol 9, Issue 1, p. 21.

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Abstract

Abstract
Background: Community participation in vector control and health services in general is of great interest to public
health practitioners in developing countries, but remains complex and poorly understood. The Urban Malaria Control Program (UMCP) in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, implements larval control of malaria vector
mosquitoes. The UMCP delegates responsibility for routine mosquito control and surveillance to community-owned
resource persons (CORPs), recruited from within local communities via the elected local government.

Methods: A mixed method, cross-sectional survey assessed the ability of CORPs to detect mosquito breeding sites
and larvae, and investigated demographic characteristics of the CORPs, their reasons for participating in the UMCP,
and their work performance. Detection coverage was estimated as the proportion of wet habitats found by the
investigator which had been reported by CORP. Detection sensitivity was estimated as the proportion of wet habitats found by the CORPS which the investigator found to contain Anopheles larvae that were also reported to be occupied by the CORP.

Results: The CORPs themselves perceived their role as professional rather than voluntary, with participation being
a de facto form of employment. Habitat detection coverage was lower among CORPs that were recruited through the program administrative staff, compared to CORPs recruited by local government officials or health committees (Odds Ratio = 0.660, 95% confidence interval = [0.438, 0.995], P = 0.047). Staff living within their areas of responsibility had > 70% higher detection sensitivity for both Anopheline (P = 0.016) and Culicine (P = 0.012): positive habitats compared to those living outside those same areas.

Discussion and conclusions: Improved employment conditions as well as involving the local health committees in recruiting individual program staff, communication and community engagement skills are required to optimize
achieving effective community participation, particularly to improve access to fenced compounds. A simpler, more
direct, less extensive community-based surveillance system in the hands of a few, less burdened, better paid and
maintained program personnel may improve performance and data quality.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 600 Insect control. Tick control QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 650 Insect vectors WA Public Health > WA 100 General works WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 395 Health in developing countries
Faculty: Department:	Groups (2002 - 2012) > Vector Group
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4491-9-21
Depositing User:	Users 183 not found.
Date Deposited:	24 Feb 2012 11:26
Last Modified:	17 Jul 2020 10:57
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/2485

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