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Ibrahima
Baber

Chief of Party, PMI VectorLink Project, Liberia

Ibrahima Baber is an entomologist with 17 years of experience working in malaria vector control for development organizations and academic research institutions, and as a consultant for private sector and mining companies. He performed surveillance on malaria vectors bionomics in Sadiola and Yatela gold mine fields in the Kayes Region in Mali to assess the impact of mining activities on the mosquito population.

Baber has served as the chief of party for VectorLink Liberia since 2015. He supports the country’s National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) on monitoring of malaria vectors and insecticide resistance testing. He supervises a team of seven and leads a field workforce of 12 people. Based on the data collected by his team on malaria mosquito resistance to pyrethroids and susceptibility to chlorfenapyr, the Liberia Ministry of Health approved the use of Interceptor® G2-insecticide-treated nets for the 2021 mass net distribution campaign. Baber and his team provide national-level support to strengthen the capacity of NMCP and University of Liberia staff in entomological techniques, and data management and analysis.

Before joining Abt, Baber was an entomologist researcher at the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC) at the University of Bamako for 10 years. He led entomology activities  on two studies. One was a malaria transmission-blocking vaccine assessment sponsored by the U.S. Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the National Institutes of Health. The other, funded by Keele University, UK, involved genetic engineering of mosquito vectors. This study’s aim is to block malaria transmission by employing genetically modified vectors that express anti-parasite molecules. It was a collaborative study between MRTC and Keele University.

Before that, Baber oversaw implementation of indoor residual spraying in Chad at the Kome oil field, a project led by International SOS in conjunction with ExxonMobil. He also served as a consultant on vector monitoring for private sector and mining companies in Mali.

Expertise:

  • Entomology
  • Vector control
  • Data collection and analysis
  • Project implementation

Key Projects:

  • The PMI VectorLink Project

Publications:

  • Oxborough, R.M., Seyoum, A., Yihdego, Y., Chabi, J., Wat'senga, F., Agossa, F.R., Coleman, S., Musa, S.L., Faye, O., Okia, M., Bayoh, M., Alyko, E., Rakotoson, J.D., Masendu, H., Sovi, A., Gadiaga, L., Abong'o, B., Opondo, K., Baber, I., Dabire, R., Gnanguenon, V., Yohannes, G., Varela, K., Fondjo, E., Carlson, J., Armistead, J.S., Dengela, D. (2021). Determination of the discriminating concentration of chlorfenapyr (pyrrole) and Anopheles gambiae sensu lato susceptibility testing in preparation for distribution of Interceptor® G2 insecticide-treated nets. Malaria Journal. Jul 14;20(1):316. doi: 10.1186/s12936-021-03847-3.
  • Sagara, I., Heal,y S.A., Assadou, M.H., Gabriel, E.E., Kone, M., Sissoko, K., Tembine ,I., Guindo, M.A., Doucoure, M., Niaré, K., Dolo, A., Rausch, K.M., Narum, D.L., Jones, D.L., MacDonald, N.J., Zhu, D., Mohan, R., Muratova, O., Baber, I., Coulibaly, M.B., Fay, M.P., Anderson, C., Wu, Y., Traore, S.F., Doumbo, O.K., Duffy, P.E. (2018). Safety and immunogenicity of Pfs25H-EPA/Alhydrogel, a transmission-blocking vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum: a randomised, double-blind, comparator-controlled, dose-escalation study in healthy Malian adults. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 18(9):969-982. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30344-X.
  • Oxborough, R.M., Seyoum, A., Yihdego, Y., Dabire, R., Gnanguenon, V., Wat'senga, F., Agossa, F.R., Yohannes, G., Coleman, S., Samdi, L.M., Diop, A., Faye, O., Magesa, S., Manjurano, A., Okia, M., Alyko, E., Masendu, H., Baber, I., Sovi, A., Rakotoson, J.D., Varela, K., Abong'o, B., Lucas, B., Fornadel, C., Dengela, D. (2019). Susceptibility testing of Anopheles malaria vectors with the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin; results from 16 African countries, in preparation for indoor residual spraying with new insecticide formulations. Malaria Journal. Aug 1;18(1):264. doi: 10.1186/s12936-019-2888-6.
  • Keïta, M., Baber, I., Sogoba, N., Maïga, H.M., Diallo, M., Doumbia, S., Traoré, S.F. (2014). Transmission vectorielle du paludisme dans un village du bord du fleuve Niger et son hameau de pêche (Kéniéroba et Fourda, Mali) [Vectorial transmission of malaria in a village along the Niger River and its fishing hamlet (Kéniéroba and Fourda, Mali)]. Bulletin de la Société de Pathologie Exotique. 107(5):356-68. French. doi: 10.1007/s13149-014-0398-x.
  • Baber, I., Keita, M., Sogoba, N., Konate, M., Diallo, M., Doumbia, S., Traoré, S.F., Ribeiro, J.M., Manoukis, N.C. (2010). Population size and migration of Anopheles gambiae in the Bancoumana Region of Mali and their significance for efficient vector control. (2010). PLoS One. 5(4):e10270. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010270.

Countries Served In:

  • Liberia, Mali, Chad
Ibrahima Baber