Support our Malaria Control Project

“Humans are capable of amazing things; if we band together and share a common vision we will achieve the ultimate goal of malaria eradication.”

– Dr. Rober Newman

The Need

Malaria is the largest killer of children in West Africa. Each year, this mosquito-borne disease is responsible for the deaths of 20,000 Malian children under the age of five. In 2017, an estimated 3,320,228 people in Mali contracted malaria and 10% of those cases were severe.

In the region of Ouelessebougou, over 90% of the population contracts malaria annually. Insecticide-treated mosquito nets help reduce the burden of malaria, but they are not enough. Children will continue to die without increased malaria control efforts.

Malaria Control Project

Not so long ago, malaria was also endemic to the United States. However, in 1951 malaria was declared eliminated, thanks to an integrated mosquito management program initiated by the CDC and its precursor organization. A crucial element of the program was to target specific “carrier” mosquitos and the water sources where they breed. Today, similar methods are still used in the US with updated technology to abate mosquito populations and keep diseases they carry at bay. Now, the US experiences only a few cases of malaria each year, mostly among returning travelers.

The Alliance has recently launched a pilot project in conjunction with experienced partners to use western technology in the Ouelessebougou region of Mali to kill the mosquito that has been proven to carry the malaria parasite. This is ground-breaking work in West Africa. With almost no public infrastructure in Mali and negligible government resources, assembling the right team of mosquito-abatement experts and resources has been crucial. Mosquito experts from the US are joined by scientific experts at the University of Bamako to work with the Alliance in implementing this malaria control project in Ouelessebougou. The team is not only sending equipment and supplies to Mali, but they will also train local staff and villagers in-country so the methods can continue after they leave.

Research Project Details

This project begins by collecting data and conducting research on the effectiveness of western methods of larval source management in Mali. During 2021 and 2022, the effects of the COVID pandemic complicated shipping options to Mali, but by late 2022, we succeeded in delivering a shipping container full of equipment and supplies to Ouelessebougou. In early summer of 2023, when the rainy season begins in Mali, the team will launch their data gathering and research.

At that time, our US and Mali team members will gather in Ouelessebougou and identify the problematic water sources where malaria-carrying mosquitoes are breeding in five rural villages. These are the “case villages” where mosquito abatement treatments will be administered and the incidence of malaria will be tracked. The team will also track the mosquitos, water sources, and malaria cases in five “control villages” where no treatments will be administered. One year of malaria control treatments should lead us to reliable conclusions about the effectiveness of the methods in decreasing the incidence of malaria in rural Mali.

Once the research is completed for this ground-breaking project, the team will publish their findings. Since these malaria control methods are already proven in the US and throughout the western world, there is a high probability that they will be effective in Mali. With positive findings in hand, we plan to partner with larger organizations to scale the project across southern Mali and potentially and jumpstart similar projects through out the African continent. The life-saving effect of this project in Mali will be immeasurable.

Our Partners

Meet The Malaria Control Project Team

  • Dick Loomis

    Director

    Malaria Control Project

    Ouelessebougou Alliance Board Member

  • Siriman Samake

    Malaria Project Manager

    Ouelessebougou Alliance

  • Dr. Ary Faraji

    Executive Director/Entomologist Director

    Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District

  • Dr. Rui-de Xue

    Executive Director

    Anastasia Mosquito Control District

  • Dr. Whitney A. Qualls

    Scientific Manager/Entomologist

    Anastasia Mosquito Control District