ME&A Evaluating USAID-Funded Cambodia Malaria Elimination Project
ME&A is evaluating a USAID-funded malaria program in Cambodia to assess activity implementation and performance to date, identify key bottlenecks and constraints, and make actionable recommendations for improvements needed to meet the activity’s intended objectives.
Malaria deaths in Cambodia have decreased dramatically from 94 deaths in 2011 to zero deaths reported in 2018 with a slight increase reported since. Nevertheless, Malaria remains endemic in 21 out of Cambodia’s 25 provinces with the most cases in the northeastern and western provinces. It predominantly impacts males 15-49 years of age (incidence rates in adult males are five times higher than adult females) who are mobile workers moving from low to high transmission areas.
The project ME&A is evaluating is the Cambodia Malaria Elimination Project (CMEP) running from October 2016 through October 2021. CMEP works to intensify malaria control and elimination activities by providing technical assistance and support to the National Center for Parasitology Entomology and Malaria Control to further develop, refine, and evaluate an evidence-based Model Elimination Package for malaria.
Work on the evaluation began in March and includes mixed-methods with quantitative and qualitative data disaggregated by sex to identify any potential gender inequality in program effectiveness. It also involves a hybrid data collection model where the ME&A team – consisting of a team leader, national evaluation advisor, and a logistics/program assistant – is spending half the data collection time in the field and the other half conducting key informant interviews and surveys remotely. Remote data collection methods the team is using include LoopUp, WhatsApp, and telephone interviews. Field data collection follows social distancing guidelines with local consultants equipped with masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer they will use and provide to focus group discussion participants.
ME&A’s evaluation findings to be finalized this summer will inform USAID/Cambodia, the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), the national malaria program, partners, and relevant stakeholders on CMEP’s successes, areas for improvement, and provide action-oriented recommendations for any needed course corrections. The evaluation will also help inform program design for USAID future awards.
USAID awarded ME&A the CMEP evaluation as a task order under the Policy, Planning and Learning-Learning, Evaluation and Research (PPL-LER) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract to provide evaluation, monitoring, and assessment services for USAID Missions and Offices worldwide.