title: Malaria vector control at a crossroads: public health entomology and the drive to elimination.
abstract: Vector control has been at the core of successful malaria control. However, a dearth of field-oriented vector biologists threatens to undermine global reductions in malaria burden. Skilled cadres are needed to manage insecticide resistance, to maintain coverage with current interventions, to develop new paradigms for tackling 'residual' transmission and to target interventions as transmission becomes increasingly heterogeneous. Recognising this human resource crisis, in September 2013, WHO Global Malaria Programme issued guidance for capacity building in entomology and vector control, including recommendations for countries and implementing partners. Ministries were urged to develop long-range strategic plans for building human resources for public health entomology and vector control (including skills in epidemiology, geographic information systems, operational research and programme management) and to set in place the requisite professional posts and career opportunities. Capacity building and national ownership in all partner projects and a clear exit strategy to sustain human and technical resources after project completion were emphasised. Implementing partners were urged to support global and regional efforts to enhance public health entomology capacity. While the challenges inherent in such capacity building are great, so too are the opportunities to establish the next generation of public health entomologists that will enable programmes to continue on the path to malaria elimination.
authors.affiliation: Vector Control Unit, Global Malaria Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva 1211, Switzerland mnzavaa@who.int.
authors.forename: Abraham P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mnzava
authors.affiliation: Vector Control Unit, Global Malaria Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva 1211, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.affiliation: Vector Control Unit, Global Malaria Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva 1211, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tessa B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Knox
authors.affiliation: Vector Control Unit, Global Malaria Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva 1211, Switzerland Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel 4003, Switzerland University of Basel, Basel 4003, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Emmanuel A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Temu
authors.affiliation: The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Clive J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Shiff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles; D035843:Biomedical Research; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D060740:Disease Eradication; D004772:Entomology; D006284:Health Plan Implementation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007305:Insecticide Resistance; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011634:Public Health; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: Capacity building; Entomology; Epidemiology; Malaria; National malaria control programme; Vector control