Updating the Entomological Map of Angola: this is the central objective of the Redisse IV project, a partnership between the health ministries of Brazil and Angola, with funding from the World Bank. Experts from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC/Fiocruz) are part of a multidisciplinary team working on mapping and monitoring the main disease vectors in the African country, such as mosquitoes, flies, ticks, and triatomine bugs, popularly known as kissing bugs.

The initiative is being implemented through the Vice-Presidency for Global Health and International Relations (VPSGRI), with support from Fiotec in its financial and logistical management. Throughout August, Fiocruz researchers were in various provinces of Angola carrying out phase 2 of the project, training Angolan surveillance agents, as well as capturing and analyzing vectors in different biomes of the country.

Fiotec followed part of the work done by the project in Angola and spoke with its technical coordinator, Genimar Rebouças Julião. Check it out:

What were the main criteria for defining the strategy for updating the Entomological Map of Angola? The two main criteria for defining these strategies were pillars centered on sustainability, that is, on the continuous training of human resources and that these human resources would be able to become multipliers and disseminate the knowledge spread throughout our training programs, both theoretical and practical. And the other pillar of the strategy is comprehensiveness.

In this approach, we adopt the One Health model, or "one health." It is an approach that considers the inseparable link between man, animal, and the environment, and we have also brought this vision to the entomological map, taking into account the problems and diseases that plague Angola.

And how did Fiocruz structure its collaboration with local and international partners in this project? Fiocruz, through its Center for International Relations in Health (CRIS), structured this project with focal points. So, 'areas of operation' were created in both Brazil and Angola. All of this coordination was done between Cris and the local coordinators in Angola.

The idea behind having focal points is to ensure the best possible execution for the project. So, you have focal points for management, focal points for logistics, focal points for each type of vector or disease aggravation. And these focal points began to interact,

integrate, and define the best courses of action for the collection of entomological data and also for the training of professionals.

What are the biggest lessons learned from a project carried out in a territory as vast and diverse as Angola? The Brazilian team from Fiocruz has gained a great deal of knowledge here in Angola. We have had the privilege of interacting with a very well-structured [local, Angolan] surveillance team.

So, this was definitely a great lesson: that a well-structured entomological surveillance team and program already possess certain skills to implement integrated surveillance of other disease vectors. A second lesson was the importance of collaborative activities.

This collaboration between team members from Brazil and Angola has ensured good results for us: good project management and execution.

Another important point of learning is the importance of human resource development. This includes not only entomological or epidemiological surveillance, but also undergraduate and postgraduate training, as well as the development of human resources for scientific research. Therefore, we have gaps in scientific knowledge in Angola, which lacks people exploring these broad avenues regarding the identity of vectors of neglected diseases and even the generation of scientific knowledge, that is, the dissemination of this scientific information through scientific publications, placing Angola on an international scientific stage.

How can this work serve as a model for other initiatives in countries with similar challenges? The Angolan government's initiative to invest in entomological surveillance serves as an example for other countries in that it demonstrates the simultaneous nature of its actions. Various levels within Angola's surveillance system are participating in these technical training programs simultaneously and in an integrated manner. This is a significant advantage, a valuable lesson, and a valuable experience that should be shared with other countries.

So, this experience can be taken to other countries because of this unique aspect of mobilizing all surveillance professionals, at all levels, simultaneously. Therefore, at this very moment, there is a large-scale mobilization underway.

Surveillance professionals are involved in activities, entomological collections, technical training, and planning, thinking about how to overcome challenges in surveillance. Therefore, we can consider as progress what local surveillance gains and benefits, especially knowing how to deal with challenges that may arise in the future.