19 June 2024,  the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) welcomed senior members of the Innovation Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) to its Bagamoyo branch office located in Kingani. The visit, led by Dr. Graham Small, IVCC Senior Technical Manager, and Laura Roberts, IVCC Communications Manager, featured the unveiling of a commemorative plaque to celebrate the ‘Accelerate to Eliminate Malaria Program at the Bagamoyo facility of IHI.

The VCPTU, a vital research facility within the Institute, is an internationally renowned site for high-quality evaluations of new vector control products for private industry, product development partnerships, and regulatory bodies including the World Health Organization (WHO) Prequalification.

During their visit, Dr. Ally Olotu, Director of Science at Ifakara, along with Jason Moore, Test Facility Manager, and the VCPTU team, warmly welcomed the IVCC delegation. The event celebrated both the advancements in infrastructure and the collaborative spirit driving progress in vector control research.

About IVCC

IVCC, is the only Product Development Partnership (PDP) working in vector control. They work with stakeholders to facilitate the development of novel and improved public health insecticides and formulations to combat the rapidly growing problem of insecticide resistance. IVCC is supported by USAID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Australian Government, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO). 

Over the years, Ifakara’s VCPTU has received significant support from IVCC, including a $2.7 million core funding grant over three years, with a potential extension to five years. This grant highlights IVCC's commitment to long-term partnerships in the fight against vector-borne diseases.

In his address during the visit, Dr. Small expressed optimism about future collaborations, stating, "Driven by values of partnership, innovation, and respect, IVCC is committed to building lasting partnerships that deliver life-saving solutions. Our partnership with IHI demonstrates the significant impact we can achieve together."

Dr. Olotu also acknowledged the invaluable support, emphasizing the importance of the funding for IHI ongoing product testing activities at the Vector Control Product Testing Unit.