- by Alison
IVM in Action: The guppy fish project
Even when resources are stretched to the limit, one shouldn’t lose hope. Integrated vector management (IVM) is one of the measures that can be put in place to help outsmart dengue. Together, its five elements will help us in our fight against the deadly disease:
IVM makes a difference
IVM can and does make a significant difference, especially if coupled with other approaches (like surveillance or effective diagnosis). Check out the graphic below to see IVM in action in Cambodia and Lao PDR. Learn how these communities brought the five elements of IVM together and see how each element contributes to the three vital components of their more efficient, more cost effective, and more sustainable vector control:
- A mobilized community that has accepted the intervention and participates in the project: maintaining guppies in targeted water containers.
- Organized guppy fish breeding that provides a continuous supply to the community.
- A reliable guppy distribution system that includes restocking at the household level and regular project monitoring by community volunteers.
The project was financed by ADB, and was developed and implemented collaboratively by the Ministries of Health, the WHO WPRO, the WHO country offices in Cambodia and the Lao PDR, ADB, and HLSP. |