Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) a project being implemented by World Vision, has been hailed for helping reduce cases of Malaria in the country.
World Vision, supported by the Global Fund and the Malawi government is implementing the IRS project in Malaria hotspot districts of Balaka, Mangochi and NkhataBay, targeting 540,000 households.
Indoor residual spraying (IRS) is the process of spraying the inside of dwellings with an insecticide to kill mosquitoes that spread malaria.
Mangochi is one of the districts where the project is being implemented and according to its Commissioner, Raphael Piringu, Malaria cases have dropped by 60 percent, all thanks to the project.
“There is a big improvement, if you go to Mangochi district hospital you will find that some Malaria drugs such as LA are being shared with other districts because the malaria burden has reduced and is reducing significantly,” said Piringu.
Violet Seleman, Senior Health Surveillance Assistant at Kukalanga Health Center in Mangochi said before the IRS project, the Center used to register over 1500 malaria cases per month but now the cases have dropped to below 400 per month.
A beneficiary, Catherine Winesi who hails from Chisumbi Village in Mangochi said the Indoor residual spray has helped reduce risk of contracting malaria as her family is protected.
Winesi said, “This is the third time they are spraying the mosquito-killing chemicals in my house. Before IRS we used to have malaria in my family but now we are protected and we haven’t had malaria ever since. I therefore urge those whose houses have not yet been sprayed to let World Vision Staff spray their homes so that they too can get protected.”
The project however, is also facing challenges as there are myths surrounding the indoor spray with others thinking spraying their homes would make men living in the house impotent and also result into women being unable to conceive.
Mangochi District Commissioner Raphael Piringu dismissed these fears and said they are working with Traditional leaders to deal with the myths. “We engage the communities explaining to them how the chemicals work and how it is impossible that they can destroy their reproductive health. And we are making progress.”
One of the Traditional leaders, Group Village Headman Chimwala said Chiefs in the district are encouraging their subjects to ignore the myths and have their homes sprayed.
World Vision Malawi District Coordinator for Mangochi, Confidence Mkungula said despite the challenges they have made so much progress.
“We are targeting 341,792 households, the plan is to safeguard over one million people in the District. So far we have done 60 percent and yes, we are making progress,” said Mkungula.
In 2021, World Vision safeguarded nearly 2 million people from Malaria through IRS. Between January and March 2021, the three districts of Mangochi NkhataBay and Balaka registered a 50 percent malaria reduction in comparison to the same period in the previous year 2020.
