Combating malaria and protecting Madagascar’s unique environment

Safer Spraying for Madagascar

	Properly protected sprayers practicing progressive rinsing in Madagascar.
	Vololona was happy to see the sprayers come to her house this year. “The last time was two years ago and I noticed the difference in the number of people getting sick.”

Madagascar is home to a tremendous array of diverse and endemic species and is a biodiversity hot spot. Protecting this unique environment is understandably of great importance to the country and the world Unfortunately, Madagascar is a hot spot for more than biodiversity. Efforts to improve health and protect the environment in Madagascar intersect with an environmentally sensitive strategy to combat malaria. The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) program in Madagascar successfully coordinates health and environmental agencies and objectives to fight malaria while protecting the environment.

Indoor residual spraying with insecticides (IRS) constitutes one of the principal strategies to eliminate malaria. Protecting the environment, an important consideration in any spraying campaign, takes on added importance given the island’s unique ecosystem. Flora and fauna may be harmed if operations, cleanup, and disposal of insecticides and other solid wastes are not conducted according to best practices.

During an initial environmental assessment visit, the USAID Regional Environment Officer (REO) found weaknesses in the storage of pesticides, the disposal of used sachets and the release of pesticide residue in the environment.

In response, PMI worked to implement new environmental measures during the recently completed IRS campaign. New practices were introduced that included in-depth training of individuals in the safe handling of insecticides, preparation and use of improved storage facilities in environmentally sound sites, introduction of progressive rinsing of pumps, digging of soak pits for the proper disposal of rinse water, and improved control of solid waste.

This will result in reduced health risk to sprayers and help protect Madagascar’s unique environment. These environmental measures will also help the country to adopt other types of insecticides as needed to ensure on-going, effective coverage against mosquitoes, ultimately protecting people like Vololona and her family.