The mosquito-repellant properties of certain plants and shrubs have been known for years but it wasn’t until a few years ago that the idea of targeted plantings to fight malaria was put to the test at the Lukole refugee camp in Tanzania’s Ngara district.  When lantana, lemongrass, Mexican marigold, American basil and other seedlings were grown around camp houses, mosquito bites and malaria cases in the camp dropped significantly.

Hamisi Malebo, a NIMR researcher specializing in natural products, traditional medicine and traditional anti-mosquito agents and health systems, is principal investigator on a project to establish large-scale production of the seeds and seedlings of eight plants and shrubs known to repel or kill mosquitoes. The aim is to distribute seedlings and instructions on where and how to plant them to every malaria-prone region of Tanzania.

The main plant nursery will be established at Amani Medical Research Centre in north-east Tanzania, an area where malaria causes many deaths, especially among young children and pregnant women. Smaller nurseries will be established in 10 nearby villages with high infection rates. The other goal of Malebo’s project is to extract the plants’ oils to make mosquito repelling creams and lotions, as well as mosquito coils that burn for several hours.

Expected Outcomes

• Large scale production of seeds and seedlings of 8 renown shrubs and plants which emit volatiles which kill/repel mosquitoes to protect rural communities wherby 80% of people at risk of malaria lives.
• Creation of communities free of malaria transmiting mosquitoes (small scale trial in Ngara refuge camps proved this to be possible).
• Production of antimosquito creams, lotions and coils as an additional cheaper malaria protection tool to underserved communities.

Impact

• Additional green potential tool for the elimination and control of malaria transmiting mosquitoes