Monitoring and Evaluation
Situation:
As part of any health programme, monitoring and evaluation are vital to provide information about progress and thus indicate success. Monitoring is an ongoing process, whilst evaluation looks at impact and outcomes.
Inputs, processes and outputs are also measured as global indicators of the success of an operational programme.
Response:
The Malaria Consortium's activities in the area of monitoring, evaluation and research have concentrated on malaria but also include other diseases such as TB, diarrhoea and leishmaniasis. In addition to close monitoring of all ongoing programmes and projects the Malaria Consortium has undertaken or participated in a range of programme evaluations. Examples include the Myanmar external malaria programme review, the mid-term evaluation of the Uganda Malaria Partnership Programme, the Home Based Care Package in Northern Uganda and the Review of Implementation of the Home Based Management of Fever Strategy in the USAID project UPHOLD-supported Districts in Uganda. The Malaria Consortium supported the establishment of a sentinel surveillance system to monitor the efficacy of anti-malarial drugs and provide the necessary evidence to support the policy change processes in West Africa (WANMAT II).
The Malaria Consortium played a significant role in the Cambodia Malaria Baseline Survey in 2004.
Studies on the retention and utilisation of insecticide-treated nets (ITN) distributed through antenatal clinics in the IDP camps in Northern Uganda as well as impact and compliance of a home based management of fever programme in the same area were completed and results presented in several scientific meetings. Another area of focus for MC's increasing research activities has been the testing of new technologies particularly in the field of vector control. Three studies on performance and practical feasibility of a new long-lasting insecticide treatment kit to be used either through mass campaigns or large-scale pre-distribution dipping have begun (two in Uganda, one in Mozambique) and two others are about to begin on the performance of long-lasting insecticidal nets and an improved pyrethroid-based formulation for indoor residual spraying.
Work is now under way preparing a number of new research activities, ranging from a pilot of home based malaria treatment in Sudan, studies on the impact of the new artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) policy on malaria, the disease burden of leishmaniasis in Uganda, and a large scale household malaria survey as well as net tracking and ITN distribution costing studies in Mozambique. Applications for further research have been submitted including a study proposal on the use of RDTs in home-based management of malaria.
Points to note:
In the future, MC will strengthen its capacity to undertake state of the art research that is oriented towards answering critical operational questions of programme implementation as well as testing new technologies. Broad dissemination of results will not only target the international community but address those decision makers and programme managers who need this information for improved, evidence-based policies for disease control.
See Individual Programme pages