Malaria insecticides
New insecticides prove effectiveness in controlling malaria
Spraying homes with insecticides was for many years a sure way to keep malaria-carrying mosquitoes at bay. But over time mosquitoes became resistant to common pyrethroid-based insecticides, blunting their effectiveness.
A US$ 65 million investment by Unitaid has proved the effectiveness of a new generation of long-lasting insecticides in protecting communities from malaria-carrying mosquitoes while establishing a market that has brought down the price of the innovative sprays.
Before the start of the project, implemented by IVCC and partners, older insecticides were no longer working and newer ones were too expensive for countries to afford.
As a result, indoor spraying had declined or disappeared altogether, although it had been widely used since the 1950s.
The project has seen the number of countries implementing the new-generation insecticides rise from 8 to 36. By 2024, almost 17 million additional cases of malaria will be avoided and an additional 50,000 lives saved.
