Larviciding for malaria control and elimination in Africa
Abstract Background Global progress toward malaria elimination and eradication goals has stagnated in recent years, with many African countries reporting increases in malaria morbidity and mortality. Insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying are effective, but the emergence and increased...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Malaria Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-024-05236-y |
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| author | Gretchen Newby Prosper Chaki Mark Latham Dulcisária Marrenjo Eric Ochomo Derric Nimmo Edward Thomsen Allison Tatarsky Elijah O. Juma Michael Macdonald |
| author_facet | Gretchen Newby Prosper Chaki Mark Latham Dulcisária Marrenjo Eric Ochomo Derric Nimmo Edward Thomsen Allison Tatarsky Elijah O. Juma Michael Macdonald |
| author_sort | Gretchen Newby |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Global progress toward malaria elimination and eradication goals has stagnated in recent years, with many African countries reporting increases in malaria morbidity and mortality. Insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying are effective, but the emergence and increased intensity of insecticide resistance and the challenge of outdoor transmission are undermining their impact. New tools are needed to get back on track towards global targets. This Perspective explores the major challenges hindering wider-scale implementation of larviciding in Africa and identifies potential solutions and opportunities to overcome these barriers. Larviciding in Africa: overview, challenges, and solutions Larviciding is a valuable vector control tool with strong potential for regional scale-up. There is considerable evidence of its effectiveness, and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends it as a supplemental intervention. However, malaria programmes hoping to implement larviciding face significant barriers, including (1) poor global technical, policy, and funding support; (2) fragmented implementation and experience; (3) high complexity of delivery and impact evaluation; and (4) limited access to the full range of WHO prequalified larvicide products. Strategic barriers related to global policy and donor hesitancy can be overcome through a coordinated demonstration of cost-effectiveness. Technological advancements and strengthened operational capacity have already overcome technical barriers related to larvicide delivery, targeting, coverage, and evaluation. Developing a Community of Practice platform for larviciding has strong potential to consolidate efforts, addressing the challenge of fragmented implementation and experience. Such a platform can serve as a resource center for African malaria programmes, collating and disseminating technical guidance, facilitating the exchange of best practices, and aiding malaria programmes and partners in designing and evaluating larviciding projects. Conclusion The global shift toward targeted and adaptive interventions enables the incorporation of larviciding into an expanded vector control toolbox. As more African countries implement larvicide programmes, establishing a regional Community of Practice platform for exchanging experiences and best practices is necessary to strengthen the evidence base for cost-effective implementation, advocate for support, and inform policy recommendations, thus supporting Africa’s progress toward malaria elimination. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7dc6fd3513774542a87fc16eea9e1b7f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1475-2875 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Malaria Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-7dc6fd3513774542a87fc16eea9e1b7f2025-01-19T12:11:10ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752025-01-0124111010.1186/s12936-024-05236-yLarviciding for malaria control and elimination in AfricaGretchen Newby0Prosper Chaki1Mark Latham2Dulcisária Marrenjo3Eric Ochomo4Derric Nimmo5Edward Thomsen6Allison Tatarsky7Elijah O. Juma8Michael Macdonald9Malaria Elimination Initiative, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of CaliforniaPan-African Mosquito Control Association, Kenya Medical Research InstituteManatee County Mosquito Control DistrictPrograma Nacional de Controlo da Malária, Ministério da SaúdeCenter for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research InstituteRBM Partnership Vector Control Working GroupMalaria Elimination Initiative, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of CaliforniaMalaria Elimination Initiative, Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of CaliforniaPan-African Mosquito Control Association, Kenya Medical Research InstituteRBM Partnership Vector Control Working GroupAbstract Background Global progress toward malaria elimination and eradication goals has stagnated in recent years, with many African countries reporting increases in malaria morbidity and mortality. Insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying are effective, but the emergence and increased intensity of insecticide resistance and the challenge of outdoor transmission are undermining their impact. New tools are needed to get back on track towards global targets. This Perspective explores the major challenges hindering wider-scale implementation of larviciding in Africa and identifies potential solutions and opportunities to overcome these barriers. Larviciding in Africa: overview, challenges, and solutions Larviciding is a valuable vector control tool with strong potential for regional scale-up. There is considerable evidence of its effectiveness, and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends it as a supplemental intervention. However, malaria programmes hoping to implement larviciding face significant barriers, including (1) poor global technical, policy, and funding support; (2) fragmented implementation and experience; (3) high complexity of delivery and impact evaluation; and (4) limited access to the full range of WHO prequalified larvicide products. Strategic barriers related to global policy and donor hesitancy can be overcome through a coordinated demonstration of cost-effectiveness. Technological advancements and strengthened operational capacity have already overcome technical barriers related to larvicide delivery, targeting, coverage, and evaluation. Developing a Community of Practice platform for larviciding has strong potential to consolidate efforts, addressing the challenge of fragmented implementation and experience. Such a platform can serve as a resource center for African malaria programmes, collating and disseminating technical guidance, facilitating the exchange of best practices, and aiding malaria programmes and partners in designing and evaluating larviciding projects. Conclusion The global shift toward targeted and adaptive interventions enables the incorporation of larviciding into an expanded vector control toolbox. As more African countries implement larvicide programmes, establishing a regional Community of Practice platform for exchanging experiences and best practices is necessary to strengthen the evidence base for cost-effective implementation, advocate for support, and inform policy recommendations, thus supporting Africa’s progress toward malaria elimination.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-024-05236-yMalariaLarval source managementLarvicidingAfricaRegional collaborationGlobal policy |
| spellingShingle | Gretchen Newby Prosper Chaki Mark Latham Dulcisária Marrenjo Eric Ochomo Derric Nimmo Edward Thomsen Allison Tatarsky Elijah O. Juma Michael Macdonald Larviciding for malaria control and elimination in Africa Malaria Journal Malaria Larval source management Larviciding Africa Regional collaboration Global policy |
| title | Larviciding for malaria control and elimination in Africa |
| title_full | Larviciding for malaria control and elimination in Africa |
| title_fullStr | Larviciding for malaria control and elimination in Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Larviciding for malaria control and elimination in Africa |
| title_short | Larviciding for malaria control and elimination in Africa |
| title_sort | larviciding for malaria control and elimination in africa |
| topic | Malaria Larval source management Larviciding Africa Regional collaboration Global policy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-024-05236-y |
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