Some of you have may have seen the recent video blog by John Lucas (Click here to see the video) which highlighted Sumitomo Chemical’s role in developing new chemistries designed to combat mosquitoes’ increasing resistance to pyrethroid-based insecticides.
Greater access to long-lasting insecticidal bed nets and the additional use of indoor spraying has had a huge impact in malaria prevention. But this success can only be sustained over the long-term through the introduction of ‘2nd generation’ products employing synergists or new chemical classes.
The infographic below (based on the findings of the WHO’s World Malaria Report 2014) highlights many of the key issues surrounding progress in malaria prevention and the challenges facing the malaria community.
The findings are encouraging and alarming in equal measure. We may have managed to cut (by 2105) global mortality rates by 55%, but growing resistance could result in over 100,000 more deaths annually. Sub-Saharan Africa has always been the principal battleground, but resistance is a global problem – over three quarters of malaria-affected countries are now experiencing resistance to a range of approved insecticides.
