Zoomlion Ghana Limited's vector control unit in collaboration with the Ministry of Health is set to use a biological agent, known as Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis (Bti)Â recommended by the World Health Organization to control outdoor mosquitoes.
Bti is a bacterial agent that kills mosquito at the larvae stage during the process of larviciding at mosquito breeding sites before they develop into adult mosquitoes.
The World Health Organization has indicated the use of Bti as environmentally safe and does not emit toxins that threaten human and aquatic lives.
A Senior Research Assistant with the Entomology team of Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Mr. Andy Asafu-Adjaye who disclosed this during a training program held in Sunyani for Zoomlion staff and stakeholders in the malaria control exercise indicated that on-going research is revealing that mosquitoes are developing some resistance to some class of insecticides used for indoor residual spraying and the use of long-lasting insecticide nets, hence the need to complement these efforts by using a safe biological agent such as BTI to kill mosquitoes at the larvae stage.
He said the Ministry of Health in partnership with Zoomlion Ghana limited is undertaking larvae source management activities in the various assemblies to complement interventions such as indoor residual spraying and the use of long-lasting insecticide nets to help control mosquitoes that transmit malaria, yellow fever among other deadly diseases.
The Head of Vector Control Unit of Zoomlion, Rev. Ebenezer Kwame Addae explained that the scientific knowledge gain from the training will enable participants to enhance their delivering of larviciding activities in our communities and improve the health conditions of residents in the Brong Ahafo region.