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■Bio-mathematics, Statistics and Nano-Technologies: Mosquito Control Strategies

monitoring data shows that the major vectors are still susceptible to pirimiphos-methyl

capsule suspension formulation, it will be rotated annually together with clothianidin or

clothianidin and deltamethrin combination to minimize the pressure on the local vectors.

One of the challenges facing vector control program in Malawi is development of resis-

tance to most of insecticides recommended for indoor residual house spraying and in Long

Lasting Insecticide-Treated Nets. In order to manage increased pyrethroid resistance in

Malawi, the synergist piperonyl-butoxide (PBO) has been introduced.

17.5

SUCCESSES AND FAILURES IN MOSQUITO CONTROL IN MALAWI

Intervention mechanisms to malaria in Malawi have focused on reducing human expo-

sure to infectious malaria vectors. These have generally included insecticides on mosquito

nets, internal residual spraying, and other means. All these methods are aimed at mosquito

control. Mosquito control is the management of the population of mosquitos to reduce their

damage to human health, economies, and comfortable living [14]. It is a vital public health

initiative throughout the world, and especially Malawi where there is high prevalence of

malaria, for which mosquitos are the cause. Depending on the situation, source reduction

or the killing of adults may be used to manage mosquito populations. This paper looks at

the successes and failures of the initiative in Malawi.

Mosquito control as a public health measure was introduced in Malawi as an innova-

tive measure to complement the existing strategies of combating malaria including health

surveillance and mosquito nets. The currently known large scale project in mosquito con-

trol is led by Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust Centre, who through UNICEF, introduced

a drone project in 2017 to control mosquito populations. The first attempt at internal resid-

ual spraying were made in the late 1950s as a way of tackling mosquitos right from the

source and controlling their populations after post infection measures proved too costly.

This was largely due to the successes from Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) [15].

17.5.1

Successes

The aforementioned methods have led to some successes in controlling mosquito pop-

ulations in their target districts. The greatest impact on mosquito populations was in the

ML-Wellcome Trust project in Kasungu, where mosquitos were controlled at larvae stage.

The idea was to use drones and spray insecticides and pesticides in concentration areas.

The emphasis was on habitat management and controlling the immature stages, right from

the eggs to the larvae, before mosquitos turned into full blown adults. The involvement of

the community was very essential in this intervention where the communities were also

alerted on the need to remove any habitats including standing water bodies.

Another main success story in the mosquito control programs has been the larvae

source management and the control of adult mosquito populations. These interventions

mostly involved community mobilizations and then have them trained in habitat re-

movals. It also involved spraying pesticides in other habitats to curtail the development