<Form 3>

Research Plan

Name of Applicant: KESHAB RIJAL Nationality: Nepal

Research Plan in Brief:

1. Please write down your plan of study and research at Graduate School after
enrolled.
2. Each category should have headings and give margin between categories.
3. We recommend a typed copy, as handwriting may be difficult to read. (In case
of handwriting, write clearly in the square style with blue or black pen.)
Proposed research plan:

Topic of Research: “Looking at sensitivity of early warning, alert and response

system (EWARS) to detect diseases of public health importance (Malaria).”

EWARS:

EWARS mainly focuses on the weekly reporting of detailed line list of cases and
deaths (including "zero" reports) of six priority diseases/syndromes—Malaria,
Kala-azar, Dengue, Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE), Cholera and Severe Acute
Respiratory Infection (SARI), and other epidemic potential diseases/syndromes
(like enteric fever, Leptospirosis, Hydrophobia, Chickungunya etc.). It equally
focuses on immediate reporting (to be reported as soon as possible within 24
hours of diagnosis) of one confirmed case of Cholera, Kala-azar severe and
complicated Malaria and one suspect/clinical case of Dengue as well as 5 or
more cases of AGE and SARI from the same geographical locality in one week
period.

Based on the micro-stratification report 2013, approximately 13.02 million

population (47.9%) live in malaria endemic areas (VDCS); out of which ~1
million (3.62%) live in high risk VDCs, 2.66 million (9.8%) live in moderate risk
VDCs, and 9.38 million (34.52%) live in low risk VDCs.
National policy on malaria control in Nepal:
Vision: Malaria-free Nepal in 2025
Mission: To empower the health staff and the communities at risk of malaria to
contribute towards the vision of malaria-free Nepal in 2026.
Goals:
To sustain zero death due to malaria from 2012 onwards;
To reduce the incidence of indigenous malaria cases by 90% by 2018 (relative to
2012);
To reduce no. of VDCs having indigenous malaria cases by 70% by 2018 (relative
to 2012);
To receive WHO certification of malaria free status by 2025.

Significance and importance of Selected Research:

Since Nepal has a goal of to attain the status of malaria free by 2025, numerous
planned interventions are in progress. Among various strategies, strengthen
strategic information for decision making towards malaria elimination is the
most important one. I expect to do a modeling work out to find the exact disease
burden for Malaria in Nepal using the currently available survey, research and
programmatic reports, how much of this is being captured by EWARS and what
proportion is being captured through other forms of surveillance system and
how data from these can be triangulated to provide a better epidemiological
picture of the disease. My research would also look into factors that contribute
to under/over reporting and what possible systems issues will have to be
addressed to make EWARS as the most sensitive surveillance system for
pathogens of public health importance so that Nepal in line with IHR 2005 I able
to prevent, detect early and respond to the pathogen.

Methodology of Research:

EWARS bulletin is produced every week on Sundays and shared to related

stakeholders Email and uploaded to EDCD official website. Method of study will
be mixed qualitative and quantitative, study design cross-sectional, mostly using
secondary data. If resource and other factors considers it can be done extensive
and prosperous study gathering primary information.

Sincerely
……………………..
Mr. Keshab Rijal,
Public Health inspector,
Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal.