Empowering the next generation: the END Fund's Field Entomology Mentorship Program

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Tropical Medicine
• Vector-Borne Disease Control

Background:

• A shortage of trained entomologists hinders onchocerciasis elimination in Africa.
• Conventional training methods may not adequately prepare professionals for field surveillance.
• The END Fund established a mentorship program to address this expertise gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the structure and impact of the END Fund's Field Entomology Mentorship Program.
• To evaluate the program's effectiveness in building capacity for onchocerciasis surveillance.
• To highlight the role of mentorship in accelerating disease elimination efforts.

Main Methods:

• A phased, three-year hands-on mentorship model for early to mid-career entomologists.
• Inaugural year involved six mentees in cross-country field activities.
• Focus on developing technical expertise in blackfly surveillance and elimination strategies.

Main Results:

• Mentees gained critical skills in onchocerciasis surveillance and research.
• The program fostered leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities.
• National program capacity was strengthened, and a network of experts is being established.

Conclusions:

• Investing in local entomological capacity is crucial for onchocerciasis elimination.
• The mentorship program effectively builds sustainable expertise at the country level.
• This initiative accelerates progress towards eliminating onchocerciasis in Africa.