On May 16, 2025, Prof. Charles Wondji led a CRID delegation to meet with Dr. Albert Zeh Meka, the newly appointed Permanent Secretary of NMCP. The meeting featured a comprehensive presentation of CRID’s mission, highlighting its core activities and collaborative projects with NMCP. These include: Entomological surveillance of insecticide resistance; Training and capacitation of community health workers; Evaluation of mosquito net durability; Introduction of spatial repellents—an innovative vector control tool designed to deter mosquitoes from targeted areas. Both parties emphasized the importance of robust collaboration between research institutions and national health programs. Dr. Meka expressed strong commitment to strengthening ties with CRID, recognizing that operational research and scientific evidence are essential for optimizing malaria control strategies across Cameroon. He also announced plans to visit CRID’s facilities to gain firsthand insight into its technical capabilities.

This visit materialized on July 4, 2025, when Dr. Meka led an NMCP delegation to CRID. After a warm welcome and introductions, the delegation toured CRID’s insectary, observing facilities for susceptibility testing, bio-efficacy testing of ITNs, the larvarium, and mosquito rearing units. In the laboratory, the delegation explored CRID’s state-of-the-art equipment, including the bCUBE, a device enabling real-time malaria data collection for rapid decision-making. They also reviewed the NovaSeq 6000 and ABI 3500XL Genetic Analyzer, advanced genomic tools acquired under the African Centre for Vector Genomics (AVecGen) project.This renewed collaboration between CRID and NMCP marks a significant step forward in Cameroon’s malaria elimination efforts, driven by innovation, evidence, and shared vision.