Spraying

While mosquito nets are generally effective in Africa wherever they can be consistently used, sometimes specialized teams are organized to spray an insecticide on the inside walls of houses (a process known as Indoor Residual Spraying, or IRS). This helps kill the female mosquito after she feeds on a person, reducing malaria transmission to others. In some special circumstances, teams are also organized to eliminate or treat mosquito breeding sites with another type of environmentally-friendly insecticide. However, because the African malaria mosquitoes are so prolific and have such a broad range of breeding habits, this type of "larval control" may only be applicable in some areas, as determined by local assessment.

Malaria No More's Position on the Use of DDT

The fight against malaria requires a full arsenal. To effectively battle against the disease and end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015, it is necessary to adopt an integrated approach. This includes providing access to malaria control interventions, including long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets (LLINs), effective medicines like artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) and intermittent preventative treatment for pregnant women (IPT) and safe indoor residual spraying (IRS). One such example of IRS is dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, better known as DDT.

Because of adverse environmental effects, DDT use was outlawed by most of the world for agricultural use in the 1960s, with exceptions made for malaria control—but it became nearly impossible to procure. However, in 2000, the WHO approved DDT as one of 12 insecticides safe for use in indoor residual spraying. In 2006, it announced a major policy shift when it began actively supporting DDT for use in malaria control.

Malaria No More is not a scientific organization. Our focus is on advocacy, awareness and strategic investments; we are not malariologists—we don't test vaccines, create new medicines or specialize in spraying. However, we do support an integrated approach to fighting malaria—and that includes proven interventions like indoor residual spraying.

The use of DDT—or indeed, any indoor residual spray—is entirely up to each country's National Malaria Control Program. Malaria No More supports the leadership of African countries and the World Health Organization and welcomes anything that will move the world closer to ending malaria deaths.