The problem
Malaria remains one of the world’s deadliest diseases, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where over 90% of global malaria deaths occur. Despite significant progress, progress has stalled. Vector control tools, such as insecticide-treated nets and indoor spraying, remain the cornerstone of malaria prevention, but their effectiveness is declining due to insecticide resistance, changing mosquito behavior, and environmental factors. New vector control tools are now more critical than ever to expand the range of effective prevention tools to protect the most vulnerable.
The World Health Organization (WHO)’s conditional recommendation of spatial repellents in combination with insecticide-treated nets, informed by Unitaid-backed research, marks a significant milestone in the fight against malaria.
Our response
Spatial repellents, or spatial emanators, are the first new class of vector control tool in decades. Unitaid’s new investments will support the implementation of Catalyzing the Adoption of a Novel Vector Control Toolbox (CANVeCT), a project that aims to expand the use of spatial repellents to protect the communities most vulnerable to malaria.
Led by the Cameroon-based Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), in partnership with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), this five-year initiative will aim to generate critical evidence on the effectiveness of spatial repellents, including their potential as a standalone intervention, and in humanitarian settings.
