Work package 3

This work package is led by Roch Dabiré (IRSS, Burkina Faso) and Themba Mzilahowa (MAC, Malawi) and is responsible for strengthening the linkages between researchers and implementers in country. To facilitate this, we have appointed country coordinators in Burkina Faso (Sagnon N'fale), Cameroon (Flobert Njiokou) and Malawi (Themba Mzilahowa). The work package co-leaders and country coordinators are responsible for:

• Mapping on-going VBD research by national and international partners in each country.
• Establishing and facilitating meetings of multi-sectorial Technical Vector Control Advisory Groups (TVCAGs) in each country that address the role of vector control across all VBDs. These are comprised of key stakeholders from Ministries of Health, Finance, Planning, Agriculture, NGOs, Researchers, Implementers and Community Representatives. The TVCAGs identify opportunities for further integration and identify critical knowledge gaps and have established Terms of Reference. 
• Working with the TVCAGs to identify, prioritise and commission operational research.
• Organising and supervising a programme of bi-directional secondments between partner research institutes and control programmes. These are based on a country needs and skills gap assessment conducted by the TVCAGs.