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Senior Director, Global Health Programs Mulamuli (Mula) Mpofu
Dr. Mulamuli (Mula) Mpofu is a Senior Director of Chemonics’ Global Health Programs. He has more than 20 years of experience in public health with extensive research, strategic information/monitoring and evaluation, health systems strengthening, and business development experience across malaria, HIV, and TB disciplines. Prior to joining Chemonics, he supported projects in East and Southern Africa. Mula is a transformative leader who has used his data analysis skills to develop a culture of data use which helped transform the performance of several donor-funded projects in several countries in East and Southern Africa, notably Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. He holds a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Zimbabwe and a PhD in Environmental Health from the University of Pretoria.
by Mulamuli (Mula) Mpofu
How One Region in Senegal is Leading the Battle Against Malaria
With an incidence rate of less than 5 cases per 1,000 inhabitants, Senegal’s Saint-Louis region – which accounts for 6% of Senegal’s total population – is closed to sub-national elimination of malaria and conducts regular malaria case investigations to further disrupt local transmission. Through several initiatives bolstered by the USAID Building a Resilient Health System…
Trinômes to Binômes: Optimizing Community Health Resources to Achieve Universal ITN Coverage in the DRC
This post originally appeared in The Frontline Health Workers Coalition. Despite having limited resources, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues its fight against malaria through the widespread distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs). However, finding efficiencies and reducing the cost of each campaign is paramount. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the U.S. President’s…
A Second Malaria Vaccine Is Approved. Here’s How to Help It Fulfill Its Potential
In October 2021, we celebrated the most significant breakthrough in three decades of malaria research: the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S or Mosquirix), the first vaccine endorsed for prevention of malaria in children and infants. So far, the vaccine has protected more than 1.2 million children under two in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi…
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Widening the Net of Data Capture for Improved Digital Health
Strengthening the quality of services, data, and disease surveillance systems — digital health — is key to achieving universal health coverage and health equity. In countries such the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), poor infrastructure and limited access to communication systems complicate progress on digital health and necessitates extra measures. This is why, in…
Three Successful Approaches for Reducing the Malaria Burden in Mozambique
Globally, only a small handful of countries are responsible for 95 percent of all malaria cases and deaths. In 2019, five countries made up more than half of the 229 million global case burden, while six countries accounted for 51 percent of the 409,000 malaria deaths. That same year, Mozambique was on both lists and accounted for…
The Malaria Vaccine Is Here, Finally. What Next?
Globally, malaria is endemic in more than 100 countries, and responsible for over 200 million cases and 400,000 deaths annually. The disease disproportionately impacts children, with 67% of deaths caused by malaria occurring among children under the age of five. Simply put, a child dies from malaria every two minutes. Even though proven treatment and prevention interventions, such as case…
Development Works Here with Dr. Mulamuli Mpofu
We’d like you to meet Dr. Mulamuli Mpofu! Dr. Mpofu is a senior director of Global Health Programs with a special focus on malaria. Dr. Mpofu shares how he got involved with global health as a career, his view on how malaria can be eliminated globally, and the steps we can take to build stronger…
Field effectiveness of microbial larvicides on mosquito larvae in malaria areas of Botswana and Zimbabwe
The successful control of malaria vectors requires the control of both the larval and adult stages. The adult control methods through indoor residual spraying (IRS) and use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) continue to be widely used with some high measure of success. Larval control methods are also being used by a number of National Malaria Control Programmes (NMCPs) with limited understanding of its contribution. Larval control might be needed in some areas to move from malaria control to elimination. This experimental study was conducted to assess the field effectiveness of winter larviciding on the larval stages of the mosquito in Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Strengthening monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and building sustainable health information systems in resource limited countries: lessons learned from an M&E task-shifting initiative in Botswana
The demand for quality data and the interest in health information systems has increased due to the need for country-level progress reporting towards attainment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and global health initiatives. To improve monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of health programs in Botswana, 51 recent university graduates with no experience in M&E were recruited and provided with on-the-job training and mentoring to develop a new cadre of health worker: the district M&E officer. Three years after establishment of the cadre, an assessment was conducted to document achievements and lessons learnt.
High HIV Positivity Rates Following Large-Scale HIV Self-Testing Implementation in Zimbabwe, 2018–2020
HIV self-testing (HIV-ST) is an innovative strategy to increase HIV case identification. This analysis shares the outcomes of HIV-ST implementation within the Zimbabwe HIV Care and Treatment (ZHCT) project for the period October 2018–March, 2020.
Sustained high HIV case-finding through index testing and partner notification services: experiences from three provinces in Zimbabwe
Several countries in southern Africa have made significant progress towards reaching the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS goal of ensuring that 90% of people living with HIV are aware of their status. In Zimbabwe, progress towards this “first 90” was estimated at 73% in 2016. To reach the remaining people living with HIV who have undiagnosed infection, the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care has been promoting index testing and partner notification services (PNS). We describe the implementation of index testing and PNS under the Zimbabwe HIV Care and Treatment (ZHCT) project and the resulting uptake, HIV positivity rate and links to HIV treatment.
Continuing professional development training needs of medical laboratory personnel in Botswana
Laboratory professionals are expected to maintain their knowledge on the most recent advances in laboratory testing and continuing professional development (CPD) programs can address this expectation. In developing countries, accessing CPD programs is a major challenge for laboratory personnel, partly due to their limited availability. An assessment was conducted among clinical laboratory workforce in Botswana to identify and prioritize CPD training needs as well as preferred modes of CPD delivery.