… AS LAGOS COMMENCE ANOTHER ROUND OF INDOOR RESIDUAL SPRAYING (IRS) EXERCISE AGAINST MALARIA
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, has stated that no fewer than 3.5 million people resident in the State have been protected against malaria through the State government’s integrated vector management programme, the indoor residual spraying and larviciding exercise aimed at combating malaria in the State.
Idris, who made this known over the weekend at a press briefing to signal the commencement of another 40 day indoor residual spraying (IRS) exercise in six local government and 13 local council development areas (LGAs/LCDAs) of the state, noted that since year 2010 when the IRS exercise commenced, no fewer than 49,003 households have been sprayed.
He explained that IRS is the application of long lasting chemical insecticides on the walls and ceilings of all houses and domestic animal shelters in a given area, in order to kill adult vector mosquitoes that land and rest on surfaces of walls and ceilings adding that the aim is to curtail malaria transmission by reducing the life span of vector mosquitoes and reduce the density of indoor resting and indoor feeding anopheles mosquitoes which are the major means of vector transmission in Nigeria.
“Since year 2010, there have been two rounds of six-monthly cyclical indoor residual sprayings in six LGAs. A total of 49,003 households have been sprayed with majority of the targeted wards recording coverage of 85% and above. In terms of effectiveness, an estimated population of 3,570,113 has been protected”. He said.
The Commissioner added that the State Ministry of Health had in year 2010 prior to the commencement of the IRS exercise, conducted a State malaria prevalence survey to serve as baseline stressing that a follow up survey to assess the effectiveness of the exercise will be conducted this year.
“The malaria prevalence survey conducted in year 2010 put the State prevalence at 4.8% with a range from 0.5% in Lagos Island to 13.1% in Ikorodu. However, using data from the health facilities within the IRS LGAs as proxy, there has been a decline in malaria cases”, Idris said.
He stated that the year 2014 IRS exercise commenced on Saturday, March 15 in six LGAs of Ojo, Ikorodu, Badagry, Amuwo-Odofin, Kosofe, Ibeju Lekki and their corresponding LCDAs and will last for 40 days.
According to him, the IRS exercise will also be scaled-up to include Epe LGA along with its two appurtenant LCDAs based on scientific recommendations stressing that it also contiguous to spray LGAs of Ikorodu and Ibeju Lekki that have a high malaria prevalence rate.
“The larval source management (larviciding) is also expected to cover over 2,455 hectares of mosquito breeding sites in Surulere and Kosofe LGAs and protect an estimated population of 1.5 million people”, the Commissioner added.
Idris noted that prior to the commencement of the 40 day spraying exercise; various pre-implementation activities were planned and are currently being implemented with view to ensuring maximum cooperation, acceptance and effectiveness of the exercise.
“This press briefing is one of such activities with others including, meetings and micro-plans for implementation with LGAs representatives and relevant technical stakeholders; advocacy, communication and social mobilization visits to Chairmen and top hierarchy of various LGAs and LCDAs and traditional and community leaders”, he noted.
The Commissioner added that other pre-implementation activities include, geographical information system mapping exercise of structures and households to be covered in the proposed IRS sites with a view to estimating the types of spray able structures, rooms, households and total population; procurement of adequate quantities of chemicals, pumps or sprayers, spare kits and personal protective equipment for the exercise and capacity building exercise for spraymen and supervisors.
“These spray men and supervisors who are community persons recommended by the LGAs and LCDAs have been trained. This comprised three day training for supervisors and a 10 day version for the spray men. These spray men have been exposed to the theory and practice of IRS exercise including safe handling of chemicals or insecticides and spraying equipment and maintenance of same”, Idris explained.
He added that a key implementation activity of the IRS exercise involves community mobilization by the LGA social mobilization teams to inform residents about the spray days and scheduled visits stressing that some critical implementation and post implementation activities rest on insecticides susceptibility tests and monitoring as well as quality assurance strategy.
According to him, “quality assurance of equipment, insecticides and materials including personal protective wears are conducted to ascertain that they comply with international best practices. In addition, maximum residual limits (MRLs) of pesticides in food product intended for human and animal consumption are established and strictly enforced”.
Idris noted that the insecticide susceptibility tests and monitoring are conducted at the end of each round of the IRS exercise by a group of scientist stressing that samples are taken from sprayed rooms and sent for laboratory analysis to assess the potency of the insecticides.
“In addition, continuous monthly evaluation of the residual efficacy of the insecticides used and monitoring of the mosquito behavior are conducted. The monitoring exercise will be carried out during the actual spraying exercise and for six months afterwards”, the Commissioner said.
Idris posited that the roles of the households are equally significant to the success of the IRS campaign stressing that it is expected that they receive and cooperate with the spray teams when they visit by ensuring that they keep to the rules of housekeeping and preparation before and after spraying.
“They should ensure that all food items are properly covered. In addition, households are expected to stay outside during the spraying and significantly, to observe the two hour waiting period after the spraying before members can re-enter the house. Critically, walls and ceilings of sprayed houses are not to be painted within six months of spraying to prevent deactivation of the insecticides”, the Commissioner stated.
While noting that Lagos State is currently the only state in the country that is implementing the integrated vector management project of incorporating IRS and larviciding as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) within the malaria control programme, Idris posited the State government being responsive government will only utilize scientifically proven interventions that are safe to the populace.
“As a State, we exude optimism that we are on the home stretch of this marathon race against malaria.
We cannot therefore rest on our oars. My appeal goes to all affected residents of the State to extend their fullest cooperation to our spray teams and supervisors when they come to your respective homes. This is a collaborative effort between the State government and residents of the state and therefore, everyone must be involved in malaria control”, Idris noted.
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