Global energy and services group Engie Energy Access and Dutch-based social enterprise PreMal, have inked a partnership to launch a solar-powered mosquito trapping system in Kenya, a first in the largest growing economy in East Africa.
Christened MTego, the innovative outdoor mosquito trap is designed to capture the malaria vectors before they enter homes without using insecticides, taking the war against malaria to the next level.
Engie Energy Access Kenya Country Director, Fredrick Noballa said this new vector control technology is affordable, leverages clean energy and a game-changer for livelihoods in rural areas.
“Malaria causes an enormous drain on African economies, with countries spending huge sums of resources for the control of malaria, resources which could have been allocated to other productive sectors,” said Noballa.
According to World Health Organisation, an estimated 241 million cases of malaria are reported every year worldwide, 627,000 of which result in fatalities. Africa accounts for a high share of the global malaria burden at 95 per cent of malaria cases and 96 per cent of malaria deaths with children under five years accounting for about 80 per cent of all malaria deaths in the region.
Centre of Disease Control, in Kenya, estimates 3.5 million new clinical cases and 10,700 deaths occur each year.
“To achieve malaria elimination in the country, we must empower households to acquire long-term sustainable solutions. MTego is a critical innovative enabler with a sizeable effectiveness radius that will keep the insects at bay and in effect end malaria and help
Kenyans focus on income-generating activities and their welfare,” added Noballa.
The odour baited trap, replicates human characteristics to attract mosquitoes. The technology employs a counter-airflow principal which uses an electric fan to create suction and emit a plume of odour.
“What this technology does is that it mimics human odour to lure host-seeking malaria mosquitoes, which prevents them from flying indoors. The mosquitoes follow the odour plume to the source and on approach, are sucked into a catch-pot and killed by dehydration,” said.
PreMal co-founder Lorenzo Fiori. When optimally placed, the 12V powered MTego has an attractive range of 100m2. The bio-inspired environmental solution is a synthetic odour based on components present in human sweat. It is highly attractive to all human-biting mosquitoes but imperceptible to human beings.
He adds, “Cutting down mosquito population and fewer mosquito bites reduces the risk of transmission of malaria.”