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In support of the implementation of the 2010 Tonga Joint National Action Plan on Climate Change and Disaster
Risk Management, SOPAC Division, in collaboration with the SPC Public Health Division and the Noumea based
Pasteur Institute supported two staff from the Tonga Ministry of Health to undergo a two week internship on
mosquito surveillance and control from December 5th – 16th, 2011 at the Pasteur Institute.
The trainees, Ms Akata Faamoe and Mr. Uatesoni Tuangalu are from the Environmental Health Division of the
Ministry of Health and are stationed at Vaiola Hospital, Nukualofa. The two were selected at a workshop on
basic entomology held in Nukualofa in June, 2011.
In describing her internship experience, Ms Akata said “ I have never been exposed to routine mosquito
surveillance work and the internship had provided that opportunity and I am confident that I can now go back
to Tonga and start identifying mosquito species which has never been being carried out there consistently.
The mosquito species were only identified by consultants who usually come on short term basis but now I am
confident doing this in the long term.”
The identification of mosquito species is crucial
since each carry virus for different mosquito
borne diseases such as dengue fever, malaria,
filariasis and many others. Mosquito borne
diseases are quite common after disasters such as
those caused by cyclones due to associated heavy
rain fall. The rainfall fills up breeding grounds.
The knowledge gained from the internship will
also enable Akata and Uatesoni to determine
when to commence the introduction of control
measures such as clean up campaigns to destroy
breeding grounds or to use pesticides to to
destroy mature mosquitoes.
Akata and Uatesoni are expected to lead the
establishment of the mosquito surveillance
laboratory at Vaiola hospital and later at Ha’apai,
Eua and Vava’u.
8
Tonga Ministry of Health staff complete
internship on mosquito surveillance and
control
Mr. Laurent of the Pasteur Institute shows Uatesoni and Akata how to set up adult
mosquito trap