The World Health Organisation has recommended the use of spatial emanators as an additional tool to prevent malaria.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the use of spatial emanators as an additional tool to prevent malaria, recognising their potential to reduce mosquito bites and complement existing interventions such as insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying.
Spatial emanators, also known as spatial repellents, work by dispersing chemicals into the air that make humans less detectable to mosquitoes, helping to reduce malaria transmission.
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“WHO’s recommendation on spatial emanators underscores their potential in malaria prevention, but generating and sharing local evidence remains crucial to guide effective policy adoption and ensure impact in real-world settings,” says Dr Jane Achan, Principal Advisor at Malaria Consortium.
Malaria Consortium is already testing this approach in real-world settings through its Mossie-GO project in eastern Uganda. The Mossie-GO is a solar-powered device fitted with discs that actively disperse the repellent transfluthrin without requiring electricity. This makes it suitable for households in areas with limited or no power supply, helping to reduce health inequities. The device is being trialled in two districts, targeting children under five, who are most susceptible to malaria.
By combining innovation with rigorous field research, the Mossie-GO trial aims to add a scalable tool to the malaria control toolbox, enhancing existing malaria prevention measures. Early results from these trials are expected to provide additional critical evidence for WHO and policymakers on the efficacy and feasibility of spatial repellents in malaria prevention.
“The Mossie-GO project will provide critical evidence on the use of mosquito repellents in the local context,” says Asadu Sserwanga, Senior Research Specialist at Malaria Consortium.
The project builds on Malaria Consortium’s track record of research that informs policy and practice. Dissemination of the final study results is imminent. Evidence from Mossie-GO could influence future global recommendations on spatial repellents, offering new hope in the fight against malaria.