Bayer launches trial to fight against malaria in Mozambique

Bayer has officially kicked-off a one-year trial of a new malaria fighting Indoor Residual Spray (IRS), called Fludora Fusion (clothianidin + deltamethrin), in Mozambique’s Manhica District. The trial, which is being run in partnership with The Manhica Health Research Centre and Goodbye Malaria, is one of 17 trials currently taking place in other sub Saharan Africa countries.
 

“Considering that Mozambique has a high and growing occurance of malaria, with 4,6 million reported cases in 2017 up from 3,8 million in 2016,” says Jose de Sousa, Head of Envronmental Science for Bayer in sub Saharan Africa, “we identified Mozambique as a key country in which to run a local trial for Fludora Fusion.
 

Vector control, the method of limiting or eradicating malaria carrying mosquitos, is the mainstay of the global malaria prevention strategy and Bayer has been at the forefront of introducing new innovations in this regard. Fludora Fusion offers an advanced approach by remaining active for longer, while also enabling malaria programme managers to regulate insecticide resistance with increased coverage.
 

De Sousa explains further: “This latest innovation in vector control is part of Bayer’s commitment to the growing challenge of insecticide resistance in the fight against malaria and eminates from Bayer’s increased investment its research and development over the past 10 years in order to ensure a new generation of IRS with a substantial increase in efficacy.”
 

The Mozambique Fludora Fusion’s trial will take place in 12 purpose-built experimental huts designed to mimic the conditions in which the product will be used. Other trials are  currently taking place in South Africa; Zimbabwe; Zambia; Tanzania, Kenya; Rwanda; Benin; Ghana, Madagascar and the Ivory Coast. Preliminary results from Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa, where the trials are further advanced, are already showing promising results.
 

“While the malaria incidence figures are daunting, the silver lining is that malaria is preventable, provided that we keep refining our ability to control the vectors that spread it—mosquitos. Trials like the one we are launching today, is a key step in bringing this solution to to the market with Fludora Fusion ready to take its place in the frontline of the fight against malaria,” De Sousa concludes.