Analysis of Regional Stakeholders on Vector-borne Diseases and Vector Control in Africa for the Programme for Increasing the Impact of Vector Control (PIIVeC)

Vector-borne diseases are illnesses transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks, tsetse flies, lice, snails etc. Africa is disproportionately affected by vector-borne diseases, with most deaths occurring among children under five. The main vector-borne disease in the continent include malaria, yellow fever, dengue and HAT. The Partnership for Increasing the Impact of Vector Control (PIIVeC) programme seeks to reduce the burden of vector-borne diseases through effective, locally appropriate, and sustainable vector control. The objective of this stakeholder analysis was to identify key regional stakeholders and assess their interest and influence in vector-borne disease programmes and policies in Africa. This stakeholder analysis was based on a rapid desk review of policies, strategies, programmes and other relevant information from the various stakeholders. Based on these reviews, we scored stakeholders’ interests and influence in vector-control and vector-borne disease policies and programmes in the continent. The results show the stakeholders that provide strategic advantage to PIIVeC as partners for regional engagement and evidence uptake. The resuts reveal that PIIVeC needs to prioritise engagement with WAHO, ECOWAS, WHO AFRO and Elimination 8, which have both a high interest and influence in vector control policies and programmes in the region. Leveraging on the interest and influence of these stakeholders in decision making spaces in the region could push the PIIVeC agenda forward. The second set of stakeholders to engage are AU, ECCAS, SADC, EAC, Africa CDC and NEAPACOH. This second group has significant influence on vector control policies and programmes, but their interest is relatively lower than the first group. Engagement with these stakeholders should involve consultations and information sharing to increase support and prioritisation of vector control. The third group of stakeholders to engage include PAMCA, AMMREN and ARNTD, which have a high interest in vector control but are quite limited in their influence of vector control policies in the region. These groups are essentially composed of vector-borne disease research organisations and should be kept adequately informed about PIIVeC’s activities and findings. The findings of this stakeholder analysis demonstrates that PIIVeC has an opportunity to work with these key stakeholders in the region to bring about the desired changes in vector control research and policy. Stakeholders with promising potential to contribute to PIIVeC’s broad objectives have been indicated as priority stakeholders along with their relevant platforms.