VectorLink

VectorLink Project, with support from The US. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), supports and implements vector control activities, to prevent the spread of Malaria in Zimbabwe.

Africa University is committed to a technical partnership, under a subcontract with Abt Associates in the USA, supervised by PMI/VectorLink in Zimbabwe.

Through an outline of agreed activities with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), through the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), Africa University presently provides the government of Zimbabwe, and malaria control partners, with technical data and mosquito specimens for bioassay tests to support malaria control operations.

 Some major activities/achievements

• The project has supported the construction of an insectary building with the capacity to provide a colony of mosquitoes for various research and programming activities in Zimbabwe.
• AU plans to colonize Anopheles funestus strains from pyrethroid resistant, and susceptible stock from Manicaland, for reference purposes, as wild mosquito vectors, will be collected as adults, for rearing in the insectary.
• A research molecular laboratory is conducting assays to identify mosquitoes and parasites.
• A full complement of staff is in place.