In an urgent response to the rising threat of mosquito-borne diseases, EMPHNET, in partnership with Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and the Kassala State Ministry of Health (MOH), has launched the Volunteers for Vector Control (V4V) project. This community-based initiative is focused on training local volunteers in high-risk areas to control mosquito populations through Larval Source Management (LSM) – an approach that targets mosquito breeding sites within communities to reduce the transmission of dengue and malaria.

The pilot phase of the project began in October 2024 in Kassala, a city with recurrent dengue outbreaks and a high prevalence of vector-borne diseases. The V4V project advocates for sustainable, community-centered solutions. Targeting an estimated 3.5 million people, the project’s success in Kassala will lay the groundwork for expansion into other high-risk states.

Building on strategic collaborations with Sudan’s FMOH, the Kassala State MOH, and local partners, a strategic meeting with Kassala State’s MOH Director General and representatives from both federal and state health ministries was held on October 6, 2024, officially marking the beginning of the collaboration and setting a strong foundation for integrating local health authorities into the project’s planning and implementation.

During another introductory meeting held on October 14, 2024 in Kassala, representatives from various NGOs discussed the project’s components and they pledged their support for engaging communities to ensure the initiative’s success, further showing strong support for the project.

“The V4V project offers a sustainable and community-based solution for controlling mosquito populations and reducing the disease burden of dengue and malaria,” said leading malaria researcher and EMPHNET’s Technical Advisor in Sudan, Dr. Elfatih Mohamed Malik. “By training local volunteers, we empower communities to take ownership of their health and reduce their vulnerability to vector-borne diseases.”

The project’s field activities were officially launched with the training of 300 volunteers in the Al-Shabiya neighborhood of Kassala city, setting the stage for upcoming fieldwork. Both the steering and technical committees are now operational. EMPHNET, alongside the technical committee, is finalizing a guideline to support volunteer-led indoor vector control, and a digital reporting tool is being developed to enable real-time data collection and communication.

“The key to success is empowering the volunteers and staying closely connected with them. I appreciate the project’s design, where each volunteer takes responsibility for their own home,” said Mr. Abdulaziz Hadra, a local community leader.

The V4V project is one of several initiatives by EMPHNET reflecting its commitment to strengthening public health through collaboration, community engagement, and sustainable practices. By working closely with local health authorities and partners, this initiative marks a significant step forward in combatting vector-borne diseases in Sudan.