GLOBE News
GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention Project Completes Three Successful Regional Mosquito Trainings
In June, the third of three Regional Mosquito Trainings (RMTs) took place as part of the GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention project (funded through support from the U.S. Department of State). More than 100 representatives from 49 GLOBE countries attended the RMTs:
- Asia and Pacific Region RMT (10-11 May), which took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, with more than 35 participants from 15 GLOBE countries
- Latin America and Caribbean Region RMT (22-32 May), which took place in Lima, Peru, with more than 35 participants from 17 GLOBE countries
- Africa Region RMT (07-08 June), which took place in Lomé, Togo, with more than 40 participants from 17 GLOBE countries
The GLOBE Implementation Office (GIO) would like to thank Desh Bandhu (Coordinator, Asia and Pacific Regional Coordination Office), Mariana Savino (Coordinator, Latin America and Caribbean Regional Coordination Office), and Mark Brettenny (Coordinator, Africa Regional Coordination Office), and their teams, for hosting the trainings. GIO would also like to thank GLOBE Trainers Kris Jaroensutasinee, Mullica Jaroensutasinee, Rusty Low, and Dorian Janey for sharing their expertise with the participants.
RMT participants included GLOBE Country Coordinators, trainers, and public health officials. Participants were trained as GLOBE master trainers on the use of the GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper mobile phone app and low-cost phone microscopes.
RMT participants were given hands‑on training so that they could understand which types of mosquitoes are breeding in their communities; how to collect larvae samples safely; how to upload photos/data into the global map tracker; and ways to eliminate breeding place. Countries also developed Country Action Plans, which provide details regarding their intent to apply for, and receive support for, their own Country Mosquito Trainings (CMTs) and Local Mosquito Workshops (LMWs).
The next step is for Country Coordinators in each country to decide how they will organize Country Mosquito Trainings for community leaders, scientists, and public health officials about the project. CMT participants will then, in turn, receive the tools and techniques they need to train people at the local level, at LMWs, in the GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper.
GIO estimates that the GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention project will train up to 100,000 citizen scientists in the GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper! Learn more about this exciting initiative here: globe.gov/mosquitoes.
type: globe-newsNews origin: GLOBE Implementation Office