Cluster Combination Approach (CCA) exercise – Mass screening
As part of the operational plan, MEDP started the Cluster Combination Approach (CCA) exercise in select areas to assess the asymptomatic malarial case load and to determine the most cost effective model for malaria elimination. The planning of the exercise was done with ICMR NIRTH. The clusters for mass screening were selected on the basis of APIs and hard to reach areas. The Government of MP’s 2017 epidemiological data was used to determine the test sites. The six day exercise started on September 17, 2018 as the first round. It ended on September 24, 2018. Each day, up-to 150 Village Malaria Workers were deployed in four teams to the target clusters. The first round yielded a total coverage of 63.2% of the total target population with 34 Pf cases. Following this, the mop-up was planned using the updated household data in the mobile application system – SOCH and the daily household visit registers of the local VMWs. The mop-up of mass screening started on September 29, 2018 and ended on October 5, 2018 yielding a total coverage of 74.3%. Detailed analysis of the exercise is in-progress.