Brazzaville, 25 October 2011 -- Malaria vector control in the WHO African Region is the subject of an expert technical consultation to be held from 26 to 28 October at the WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville.
The two-day expert consultation, convened by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, will, among other things, review current WHO recommendations for malaria control, and clarify epidemiological circumstances under which current vector control methods are to be applied, especially in pursuance of malaria elimination goals.
 Experts attending the meeting are expected to update criteria for the appropriate selection of insecticides for vector control, including the use of DDT in indoor residual spraying (IRS) and larviciding. They will also agree on a framework for building up integrated vector control services, and reach a consensus on the prototype of the WHO vector control decision support system (VCDS) . VCDS is an interactive tool being developed by WHO to support reporting and planning of malaria vector control operations at district level in sub-Saharan Africa .

Currently in the African Region, IRS and the use of long lasting insecticidal nets (LLN) are considered as the major means of reducing or interrupting malaria transmission. These two interventions are supplemented on a local basis by secondary or additional interventions such as larviciding and environmental management in the context of integrated vector management..

In recent times, there has been a renewed interest in vector control largely because a set target in the Millennium Development Goals is to reduce the malaria burden significantly. Some countries and malaria control partners in the region have set malaria elimination as a goal.

Participants in the expert consultation are expected from nine national malaria control programmes, research institutions, private sector and partner organizations, Regional Economic Communities and WHO.

For more information, please contact:

Technical Contact: Dr Magaran Bagayoko; tel: + 4724139903, email: bagayokom [at] afro.who.int
Media Contact: Samuel Ajibola tel: + 47-241-39378 , e-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int