The U.S. military maintains the capability to act any-where across the globe on short notice, to protect the interests of the nation. To do so, service members require the latest state-of-the-science information and technology to preserve their operational capabilities in the face of diseases and other health threats abroad.

Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) EURAFCENT has be-gun working alongside Guinea’s Ministry of Defense and National Malaria Control Program to enhance disease surveillance capabilities and bolster U.S. force readiness in the region.

“This initiative is an important step in expanding NAMRU EURAFCENT’s impact,” explained Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Montgomery, an entomologist with the command’s Sicily-based headquarters, “reinforcing its role in regional disease research and military health support.”

In support of this partnership, NAMRU EURAFCENT led a Global Emerging Infectious Surveillance (GEIS)-funded Skills Assessment and Subject Matter Expert Exchange event from February 22nd to 28th in Conakry, Guinea, aimed at improving the understanding of endemic disease threats to deployed U.S. forces and informing prevention and treatment measures against those threats.


The exchange, led by Montgomery and Dr. Alia Zayed, a medical research scientist with NAMRU EURAFCENT’s Cairo detachment, is part of the Vector Biology Research Program, which provides valuable insights into disease transmission risks, enabling U.S. forces to prepare for deployment in environments with high levels of endemic diseases. Attendees learned about vector-borne diseases, shared best practices in mosquito collection, identification and control techniques and conducted practical demonstrations to enhance mosquito surveillance capabilities.

The hands-on approach is intended to foster international collaboration in military health services, while also providing opportunities for more consistent data collection and reporting, to give a more accurate representation of potential health risks in deployed environments.

“Understanding the mosquito population gives us a much clearer idea of what health threats we face during deployments in a region,” said Montgomery. “The Gulf of Guinea region is of high strategic im-portance, and the successful execution of this event underscores the importance of continuous engagement in surveillance and vector management to safeguard U.S. forces in varied operational set-tings.”

NAMRU EURAFCENT intends the exchange to mark the beginning of ongoing work alongside Guinea counterparts to best prepare both nations to address the health threats that those in the gulf and their American partners might face.

“By gaining a clearer picture of the threat environment, U.S. forces can better prepare to maintain mission capability throughout their operations,” explained Zayed, a senior entomologist and regional expert. “The spread of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes is of global concern since the species can bring malaria to urban environments.

“Equipping partner nation military personnel with the knowledge and skills to advance their understanding of infectious disease transmission is one of the ways NAMRU EURAFCENT entomologists sup-port military health,” Zayed added.

NAMRU EURAFCENT’s research portfolio supports U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) regional objectives, including partnerships with host nation health sectors and military forces. The Vector Biology Research Program has ongoing surveillance projects in multiple West African countries, contributing to broader efforts in disease monitoring and control.

NAMRU EURAFCENT, part of Navy Medicine Research & Development, conducts research, surveillance and studies of vaccines, therapeutic agents, diagnostic assays and vector control measures in the EUCOM, AFRICOM and CENTCOM Areas of Responsibility to better prevent and treat infectious diseases in support of Navy, Marine Corps and joint U.S. warfighter health, readiness and lethality.

For 250 years, Navy Medicine, represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian healthcare professionals, has delivered quality healthcare and enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea and ashore.