USAID Supports Training in Malaria Microscopy and WHO accreditation Program for Effective Diagnosis and Early Treatment

Among the effective strategies to fight against malaria, the biological diagnosis of all suspected cases as well as the precise diagnosis and early treatment of confirmed cases is a key measure for malaria control and elimination.

USAID’s StopPalu+ activity supports the National Malaria Control Program to strengthen malaria microscopy at the national, regional, and district levels to test and treat at least 90 percent of simple and severe malaria cases. Malaria microscopy is still the gold standard method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for malaria diagnosis.

Since 2017, StopPalu+ has organized training sessions in External Competency Assessment for Malaria Microscopists for 200 lab technicians from both the private and public sectors. The aim of this training is to develop the malaria microscopy skills of lab technicians in Guinea.  On June 25, 2021, ten of  the technicians were accredited as WHO experts and they can provide their malaria microscopy expertise around the world during the next three years.

Improving the competency in malaria microscopy in Guinea will improve the quality of diagnosis and contribute to malaria elimination in the country.