Uganda: Egyptian Firm to Fight Malaria
New Vision (Kampala)
8 June 2008
Posted to the web 9 June 2008
Kampala
MALARIA will be no more in five years time if the Government approves the use of a non-toxic vector that kills larvae of the malaria-causing mosquito.
The new technology, initiated by Egyptian researchers, uses sunlight with environment- friendly photosensitisers. It has been proved effective in Egypt and several African countries.
"This product is the only environment-friendly way to fight malaria," said Dr. Walid A. Aly, the Innovative Research and Development project manager for Africa.
Walid said the $1m (sh1.7b) that they had injected in conducting field studies is only awaiting government approval.
"This is the first project to be implemented in sub-Saharan Africa.
According to our research on Uganda's mosquitoes and breeding habits, if we start today, malaria will be reduced by between 70-80% in four years' time," he said.
Walid said the outdoor mechanism will be implemented by spraying the malaria vector liquid in swamps and water sources where mosquitoes breed.
"The novelty of this project is to develop a new ecologically-safe technology, using a natural plant extract as sunlight-activated photopesticides against the larvae of anopheles, aedes and culex mosquitoes."
He appealed to the Government to support the project. "We sent proposals to the health ministry. We want the Government to include the project in the national strategic plan to eradicate malaria," Walid said.
Dr. Grace Nambatya, the head of the National Chemotherapeutic laboratory Wandegeya, said tests had proved the product is effective in breaking the breeding cycle of mosquitoes without harming the environment.
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