Govt links malaria upsurge to new mosquito species

The manager of the Malaria Control Programme, Dr Jimmy Opigo, has said a new species of mosquitoes have contributed to sustained malaria resurgence which started last November.

Dr Opigo in an interview on Saturday said the species, Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles arabiansis, have rendered government interventions such as indoor residual spraying and distribution of mosquito nets less effective. 

The expert said the new species breed in unusual environments, including the dry season. 

“There is the emergence of new species of mosquitoes such as Anopheles stephensi, a species first seen in the horn of Africa [Djibouti and Ethiopia around 2012], and has spread to neighbouring countries,” he said.

“These mosquitoes breed majorly in urban areas hence posing a big problem to areas such as Kampala and Wakiso where malaria has tremendously reduced. Another species called arabiansis bites mostly from outside,” he said.

Change 

Dr Opigo said even common mosquitoes are changing their behaviour to avoid exposure to pesticides.  

Malaria, a disease transmitted by infected female anopheles mosquitoes, kills 16 Ugandans daily and causes an estimated annual economic loss of $658 million (Shs2.4 trillion) due to treatment costs and work time lost, according to statistics from the Ministry and a report by Juliet Nabyonga Orem from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“In Namutumba, the current epicentre of malaria, we are losing 10 people per week [to malaria]. Yet, this was the area where we had focused on controlling mosquitoes with residual indoor spraying and distribution of nets but transmission has remained unabated,” Dr Opigo told journalists on Saturday.

He added: “This is because mosquitoes in Uganda have become a little bit smarter, they feed from outside yet we are targeting control inside [the houses]. The mosquitoes feed inside and don’t rest on the wall we sprayed. So we are almost mistargeting.”

According to information from the Health ministry, the country is also experiencing resistance of mosquitoes to pesticides and malaria parasites are not responding to approved drugs.

New strategies 

Asked how they intend to address the problem, Dr Opigo said they are expediting the introduction of malaria vaccines to curb the disease.

According to sources within the Health ministry, the government is reconsidering putting quinine as one of the main medicines for malaria treatment and Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), a pesticide to kill mosquitoes. 

Dr Opigo said they are also supporting local research and the use of herbal remedies for the prevention of malaria and mosquito bites. 

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