Our Criteria for Site Selection
The presence of Anopheles mosquitoes
Geographic and environmental features that limit mosquito dispersal
Restricted movement of genetic material between target and non-target mosquito populations
The geographic and genetic isolation criteria are best satisfied on oceanic island sites and our initial review of 15 islands across Africa identified two candidate sites where we are currently conducting baseline data collections and engagement.
Read more about our field site selection process HERE.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED
ISLANDS
The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe (STP) is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 300 kilometers off the western equatorial coast of central Africa. The archipelago consists of two main islands located ~174 km apart. The island of São Tomé is home to 95% of the entire population of ~211,000. STP was a former Portuguese colony and achieved independence in 1975. It is the second smallest island country in Africa, and the smallest Portuguese-speaking country.
Malaria is endemic to STP and risk is high throughout the year. The incidence rate of malaria has remained relatively low over the last decade because of national malaria control programs. However, incidence rates have been slowly increasing since 2014.
The Ministry of Health developed a partnership agreement in collaboration with UCMI. The partnership allows UCMI to study the biology and ecology of the mosquitoes that transmit malaria in Sao Tome and Principe. Our collaborative work Includes 3 Primary Things:
1. Field and Laboratory Research related to the Malaria Vector. UCMI, in partnership with the University of Sao Tome and Principe, has developed a molecular biology research laboratory where program research is conducted and where UCMI provides training for university students, faculty, and public health professionals in STP. UCMI Field and laboratory research includes establishing and sustaining of laboratory colonies, study of non-target organisms that interact with mosquitoes, mosquito feeding preference by blood meal analysis, insecticide resistance, mark-release-recapture studies, and mosquito life history studies.
2. Training and Capacity strengthening. UCMI has conducted field and laboratory trainings for the National Malaria Control Technicians, Ministry of Health Laboratory Technicians and University students in malaria related subjects including insecticide resistance assays, PCR, malaria biology, mosquito dissection, vector distribution and surveillance, and mosquito field biology and ecology. UCMI has provided 4 advanced degree scholarships to STP students to study medical entomology and molecular biology at the Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in Lisbon.
3. Engagement. UCMI has a national engagement team that conducts engagement in communities, schools, and with stakeholder groups across the country. Engagement activities include community meetings and debates, door to door information sharing, scientific demonstrations and educational activities in the schools, workshops, programs on national TV and radio.
