Johannesburg, March 6, 2019 (MaraviPost)– With nearly half of the world’s population at risk of contracting malaria, primarily in sub Saharan Africa, stepping up the fight against the disease has never been a more pressing challenge. Bayer is rising to this challenge as it launches a new Indoor Residual Spray (IRS), Fludora® Fusion which is set to make great strides in the fight against malaria.
According to the World Health Organisation, there were 219 million cases of malaria in 2017, up from 217 million cases in 2016[i]. In Southern Africa alone, more than 16 000 cases resulting in 110 deaths were reported by the end of October in 2018. This is more than the average over the 10-year period between 2007 and 2016, which was estimated at 7 600 cases per year[ii].
“We know that insecticide resistance remains one of the biggest threats to eradicating malaria largely because of our reliance on a very limited number of insecticides that are effective in vector control interventions against malaria carrying mosquitos. In the context of this urgent need for new modes of action in malaria vector control, Fludora® Fusion represents a major step forward in eradicating malaria, says Dr. Jacqueline M. Appelgate, Head of of Global Vegetable Seeds & Environmental Science at Bayer.
Added to the challenge of insecticide resistance, Appelgate says, “It is also of great concern that the prevalence of malaria areas have expanded with low or very low malaria transmission starting to appear in some districts previously regarded as malaria-free areas in South Africa and elsewhere.”
Bayer’s field trials, in an unprecedented 16 African countries, has proven Fludora® Fusion to not only be effective against more than a dozen resistant strains of mosquitos, but results also show that it remains effective for up to 12 months after application.
With such an effective tool, Appelgate explains, “We know that investing in the development of malaria fighting tools will only be successful if accessible to those in need. This is why Bayer is committed to providing public health programmes with Fludora® Fusion that is not only proven but is also effective. In this way, a healthier, better life is more accessible to everyone.”
Bayer has been a mainstay in global malaria prevention strategy for over 60 years by making continued investments in effective vector control solutions, recognising that improvement and innovations in these tools are crucial to saving lives and ensuring a healthier future. Appelgate concludes, “We’re excited by the potential that Fludora® Fusion represents to help prevent new malaria infections and is a major milestone in our pursuit of a malaria-free furture.
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria
- SaNTHNet: Seasonal malaria increase in progress 11 December 2018
