This project will monitor and evaluate the large-scale rollout of spatial emanators supported by the U.S. Government and the Global Fund, assess their use in humanitarian settings, and expand the evidence base on insecticide-treated baby wraps.
Dr Zeh Meka, Cameroon NMCP, and Professor Charles Wondji, CANVeCT PI
The Catalyzing the Adoption of Novel Vector Control Toolbox (CANVeCT) project is a Unitaid-funded initiative implemented by the CANVeCT Consortium, led by the Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), with support from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). On 18 August 2026, the consortium announced a strategic evolution of its research and implementation agenda to better support countries in the introduction, deployment, and scale-up of innovative vector control interventions.
The project will generate real-world implementation evidence to support country-level policy and programme decision-making, strengthen programme delivery, and facilitate the introduction, adoption and scale-up of novel vector control tools in malaria-endemic settings. As part of this continued focus on evidence generation, CANVeCT will contribute to generating implementation evidence from the USG-supported rollout of Spatial Emanators (SEs) including indicators related to Aedes-borne viruses. This work will help assess the broader value and potential integration of this innovative vector control tool across malaria and Aedes-borne disease settings, while informing future programme prioritisation, adoption and scale-up.
CANVeCT together with CONVINCE (Country Operationalized Novel Vector Interventions for Malaria Control) which is a complementary project funded by Unitaid, and led by Swiss TPH, will generate practical evidence on how spatial emanators can be used effectively in different settings and populations, including areas with low coverage or use of insecticide-treated nets, rural and urban settings, and areas where different mosquito species are present. These two projects will therefore generate real-world evidence to determine the most cost-effective, high-impact use of spatial emanators across different transmission settings, mosquito species and population groups, and inform evolving World Health Organization (WHO) guidance.
A Reprogrammed Research Agenda
Originally launched in 2025 with a research agenda focused on generating efficacy evidence for novel vector control tools, CANVeCT is now reorienting its research programme towards implementation research and the generation of real-world evidence. This shift reflects the growing need for operational evidence that can guide countries as they introduce and scale up new vector control technologies within routine malaria control programmes.
As part of this new direction, CANVeCT will provide evidence generation around the large-scale rollout of spatial emanators, through a United States Government and Global Fund-led initiative across Sub-Saharan Africa to generate real-world evidence on intervention effectiveness, delivery, population coverage, user adherence, implementation performance, and operational feasibility. These findings will help national malaria control programmes (NMCPs) and global partners optimize implementation strategies, inform policy and programme decisions, and assess opportunities for regional scale-up.
In parallel, CANVeCT will evaluate the added value of spatial emanators when used alongside long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) in humanitarian settings. This work will assess the effectiveness, acceptability, and operational feasibility of combining these interventions among displaced populations, crisis-affected communities, and other vulnerable groups where malaria transmission remains a significant public health challenge.
This five-year project will also include implementation research on insecticide-treated baby wraps, an innovative intervention designed to protect infants during the first months of life, a period where this tool could provide an added protective efficacy to conventional tools such as LLINs By generating evidence on their effectiveness and programmatic feasibility, CANVeCT aims to contribute to improved protection for one of the populations most vulnerable to malaria and other vector-borne diseases.
“As spatial emanators move from research into country implementation, countries will need to make important decisions about where, how and for whom these tools can deliver the greatest benefit. Unitaid is adapting its investment in CANVeCT to help answer those questions, while also building evidence on insecticide-treated baby wraps and their potential role in protecting young children from malaria,” said Dr. Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid.
Through this evolved research agenda, CANVeCT reaffirms its commitment to generating high-quality evidence that supports countries in accelerating the adoption, effective implementation, and sustainable scale-up of innovative vector control interventions to reduce the burden of malaria in Africa.
