Strengthening public health pesticide management in countries endemic with malaria or other major vector-borne diseases: an evaluation of three strategies.

Henk Van Den Berg,Rajpal S Yadav,Morteza Zaim

doi:10.1186/1475-2875-13-368

Henk Van Den Berg, Rajpal S Yadav + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-13-368

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Abstract

BackgroundPublic health pesticides has been the mainstay control of vectors of malaria and other diseases, and public health pests, but there is increasing concern over how these pesticides are being managed. Poor pesticide management could lead to risks to human health and the environment, or diminish the effectiveness of interventions. Strategies for strengthening the management of public health pesticides, from manufacture to disposal, should be evaluated to propose future directions.MethodsThe process and outcomes of three strategies were studied in five regions of the WHO (African Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region, South-East Asia Region, Western Pacific Region, and American Region) and 13 selected countries. These strategies are: regional policy development, in-depth country support and thematic support across countries.ResultsConsensus, frameworks and action plans on public health pesticide management were developed at regional level. Country support for situation analysis and national action planning highlighted weaknesses over the entire spectrum of pesticide management practices, mainly related to malaria control. The thematic support on pesticide quality control contributed to structural improvements on a priority issue for malaria control across countries.ConclusionsThe three strategies showed promising and complementary results, but guidelines and tools for implementation of the strategies should be further improved. Increased national and international priority should be given to support the development of policy, legislation and capacity that are necessary for sound management of public health pesticides.

Highlights

Public health pesticides has been the mainstay control of vectors of malaria and other diseases, and public health pests, but there is increasing concern over how these pesticides are being managed
In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the consultations have led to the development of a regional resolution on managing the use of public health pesticides, which was adopted in October 2011 by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee [37]
Weaknesses in the management of public health pesticides are widespread in countries endemic with malaria or other vector-borne diseases, and will adversely influence the effectiveness and safety of how the pesticides are used, distributed, stored, or disposed

Summary

Introduction

Public health pesticides has been the mainstay control of vectors of malaria and other diseases, and public health pests, but there is increasing concern over how these pesticides are being managed. Poor pesticide management could lead to risks to human health and the environment, or diminish the effectiveness of interventions. Vector control, aiming to reduce vector populations or vector-human contact, plays a major role in the prevention, control or elimination of malaria and most other vector-borne diseases [2,3]. The use of public health pesticides (i.e. vector control pesticides, household insecticides, and professional pest management pesticides [4]) has been the mainstay control of vectors of malaria and other diseases, and other pests, in or around human habitation [5,6]. Poor pesticide management could pose risks to human health and the environment, or reduce the effectiveness of interventions. Recent reports have indicated an unregulated trade in substandard pesticide products [7,8], rapid development of insecticide resistance in malaria vector populations [9,10,11], and the existence of large stockpiles of obsolete vector control insecticides [12]

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