Destruction of mosquito breeding grounds resumes

Kenya has stepped up its fight against malaria amid a widening funding gap, with Busia County emerging as a testing ground for targeted management of mosquito breeding sites.

This week, the county, which has the highest malaria prevalence rate in Kenya at 39 per cent, embarked on destruction of more than 25 hectares of mosquito breeding grounds.

The county is partnering with End Malaria Council and SC Johnson .

While launching the third phase of the Larval Source Management (LSM) initiative on Wednesday, End Malaria Council Senior Advisor Willis Akhwale explained that part of the deal is to produce up to 20 million units of SC Johnson’s spatial repellent known as Guardian™ annually at its Kenya plant, and then distribute at no cost to people who need it most via public health channels.

“The government has deployed a multi-pronged strategy to fight malaria following a widening funding gap that now stands at Sh25 billion,” said Dr Akhwale. 

“When we did the spraying in Busia covering about 17 hectares of breeding grounds, we had a 95 percent reduction in the number of adult mosquitoes that could have caused infection,” he added. 

Dr Akhwale noted that spraying is done using a drone that can carry 30 litres of larvicides –the substance used to kill larvae -  and spray more than 25 hectares in a flight.

“Application of the substance will be carried out using drones to reach even the most inaccessible breeding sites efficiently.”

He noted that the substance, also known as biolarvicides, is safe, with no reported harm to humans or animals; and it is certified by the World Health Organization and Kenya’s Ministry of Health.

The innovative approach aims to reduce malaria transmission by targeting the aquatic stages of mosquito larvae, contributing to the county's broader malaria control efforts.

 “Biolarvicides are sprays that kill young mosquitoes before they become adults by targeting their intestines,” explained Arthur Odera, Busia CDeputy Governor and Health executive. 

He added that the project, funded by SC Johnson, a manufacturer of consumer chemicals such as Raid™, is part of broader support the multinational has provided. Others are resources to rehabilitate a health centre in Malaba, which will be a centre of excellence for malaria prevention and control.

Earlier this year, the manufacturer announced the opening of high-speed manufacturing lines at its Nairobi plant to produce SC Johnson Guardian™, one of the company’s spatial repellents designed to significantly reduce the presence of mosquitos.  

“What we are trying to do is to see how we can start promoting local manufacturing of biolarvicides, mosquito nets and everything we are able to use in the fight against malaria,” said Isaac Maluki, a member of the End Malaria Council.

Malaria remains a major public health challenge in Busia, with the county’s prevalence being six times higher than the national average and three times higher than other lake-endemic counties. Approximately 40 per cent of all outpatient department visits across the country are due to malaria, and two per cent of all deaths are attributed to severe malaria.

In response, Busia County has implemented a comprehensive malaria control programme, which includes indoor residual spraying, insecticide-treated nets, malaria vaccination, case management, and social behaviour change initiatives.

Despite the ongoing efforts to reduce malaria cases, Kenya faces substantial funding challenges in its fight against malaria. 

“To achieve the Kenya Malaria Strategy's goal of reducing malaria incidence, shared strategies, resource mobilisation and collaboration are our most potent weapons in this fight,” said Chris Getonga, the chairman of End Malaria Coucil.

He noted that SC Johnson has already committed more than Sh1.3 billion in advancing spatial repellents, funding malaria preventive education and building new health clinics in rural communities with a goal of manufacturing and processing repellents.

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