Fredros Okumu's blog

Current malaria control operations rely heavily on insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS), both of which are insecticide-based and target only mosquitoes that feed or rest inside houses.

We didn’t know we needed it. But now we can’t do without it.

Though mosquito repellents are among the best known personal protection measures, their use outside the deployed-warfighter-communities is limited. The need for active user participation, discipline, consistent applications and their high costs make civilian applications of mosquito repellents a less appreciated option for use against malaria or other mosquito borne infections.

Following the Bill and Melinda Gates declaration in 2007 that malaria eradication is their lifeterm goal, nearly every researcher and policy maker thinks this is feasible. The WHO has also made this a long term global target. I believe this agenda is too immature to be impemented in many malaria endemic countries, most of which are developing still.