KENYA —Kenya has been urged to heighten its surveillance after the discovery of an invasive mosquito species, Anopheles stephensi, in Marsabit last year.
This species is native to the Middle East and South Asia and transmits two of the most severe malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax.
The World Health Organization has stated that Kenya must increase its surveillance in urban areas, where the mosquito poses the greatest threat.
The WHO’s new initiative seeks to increase the collaboration of malaria control programs in the region, strengthen surveillance to determine the extent of the spread of the mosquito and its role in transmission.
Medical entomologist Eunice Owino has highlighted that traditional malaria vectors cannot breed in small containers or water with organic pollution, unlike Anopheles stephensi which can breed in jerrycans, tyres, open tanks, sewers, overhead tanks, underground tanks, and polluted environments.
It is also invasive, which means it can spread rapidly to new areas and adapt even to cold environments.
Owino further stated that Kenya’s malaria transmission is mainly driven by Anopheles gambie and Anopheles funestus, which do not cope very well with polluted water in urban areas.
The WHO’s new initiative aims to integrate the efforts to control other vector-borne diseases in urban and peri-urban areas.
The WHO has warned that the invasion of A. stephensi in sub-Saharan Africa, where the malaria burden is highest and over 40% of the population lives in urban environments, is particularly worrying.
Until now, cities such as Nairobi have had little or no malaria transmission, and their populations may not have acquired immunity against malaria.
The Ministry of Health reports that malaria caused an estimated 4.4 million cases and 12,000 deaths in Kenya in 2019.
Health CS Susan Nakhumicha stated that the emergence of A. stephensi threatens increased risk of malaria transmission to urban populations.
She also highlighted the reduction in malaria funding and threats of resistance to medicines and insecticides pose challenges.
The government has distributed more than 16 million mosquito nets, carried out indoor residue spraying of mosquitoes, and ensured that anti-malaria drugs are available in all public health facilities.
Dr. Abdourahmane Diallo, WHO Kenya representative, has called for increased investments in domestic financing, multi-sectoral collaborations, and community engagement and participation to address these challenges.
Urban development can no longer be assumed to contribute to malaria elimination, and traditional malaria control programs must adapt to combat the threat posed by A. stephensi.
For all the latest healthcare industry news from Africa and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, and YouTube Channel, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook.
