FULL LIST: Govt names 10 mosquito-repelling plants

The Ministry of Health has encouraged the public to plant mosquito-repelling plants. The calls came ahead of World Malaria Day, which is marked every April 25.

The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine, said people need to start using natural remedies because mosquitoes are becoming resistant to insecticides.

“All these doom things [insecticides] have effects on the lungs, if you get exposed to doom all the time, you get an accumulated toxic dose,” Dr Atwine said yesterday.

She added: “We need to find ways in our environment through the National Forestry Authority. We want to see them advocate planting trees that repel mosquitoes in every home and it’s very simple.” 

She was speaking during the launch of the private sector campaign in the fight against malaria through the Malaria free Uganda programme at the Ministry of Health head office yesterday.

The assistant commissioner National Malaria control programme, Dr Jimmy Opigo, said malaria is the top killer disease in Uganda.

 He said 52 people die of malaria per day, which is about 1,560 deaths every month.

The World Health Organisation says Uganda recorded about 15 million cases of malaria in 2021 and approximately 20,000 deaths in the same year.

As a result, the health ministry wants the public to embark on growing mosquito-repelling plants alongside other preventive measures such as using treated bed nets and clearing bushes around homes. 

Dr Peter Mbabazi, the finance and multi-sectoral partnership coordinator at the Ministry of Health, said just like any other living creature, mosquitoes have a natural aversion to certain plants that including lemon grass, onions, garlic, lemon balm, rosemary, lantana camara and peppermint. 

Dr Mbabazi said lemon grass contains citronella oil which repels mosquitoes while rosemary can be boiled in water and the mixture can be sprayed both indoor and outdoor.

He said lemon balm, a flowering plant, has a mellow lemon scent which repels mosquitoes. 
Dr Mbabazi said lantana camara’s leaves have an odour that keeps mosquitoes away, just like Lavender leaves. 

He said peppermint repels more than just mosquitos but also mice and spiders. 
He added that peppermint’s aromatic properties are found in leaves, flowers and stems meaning the whole plant can repel mosquitoes.

He, however, said scientists are doing research on how each plant works, but explained that some can be used as oil to rub on the skin, or placed indoors and outdoors such as lemon grass and eucalyptus.

10 plants
The repelling plants are;
• Lemon grass, which can also be used in food and tea
• Rosemary which can be boiled and the mixture is used as spray indoors
• Garlic, which can also be used for other benefits if added to food
• Onions and garlic when added in meals prompt the release of a compound called allicin. Allicin has the ability to inhibit malaria infection which is transferred through mosquito bites, according to research
• Lemon balm
• Peppermint
• Basil
•Lavender
•Eucalyptus
• Lantana camara