By Patience Akumu and Konstantina Boutsika
Stories about mosquitoes, insects that have claimed human lives for hundreds of years, are widespread. In every tale, the mosquito is portrayed as opportunistic, cunning, and persistent—even fortunate.
A Ugandan folk tale revolves around the friendship between Mosquito and Ear. According to the story, they were once very close companions. However, one day, Mosquito proposed marriage to Ear. Upon seeing Mosquito’s appearance—tradition says she was an anopheline mosquito, slender yet not particularly attractive—and noting her mouth which seemed always engaged as though stirring something, Ear likely reconsidered their bond.
Ear quickly dismissed Mosquito due to her unhealthy appearance. Trusting Mosquito to survive even one more day was out of the question for Ear, and the thought of widowhood was unacceptable. Stung by this rejection, Mosquito departed shamefully. Yet each evening, she comes back to haunt Ear with an incessant buzzing.
Buzzzz... You thought I was going to fade away quickly. Buzzzz... I'm still around.
A single mosquito can disrupt your sleep for an entire night. An unchecked swarm of mosquitoes could lead to devastation beyond our imagination. Uncontrolled mosquito populations wouldn’t merely make us uneasy; they’d cost many lives. Malaria, transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito, accounts for much of this loss. Despite ongoing efforts and advancements in science aimed at controlling them, mosquitoes still claim approximately 600,000 lives annually through malaria.
Apart from malaria, mosquitoes also transmit diseases like dengue, yellow fever, and Zika. Annually, these illnesses result in approximately 725,000 fatalities. Consequently, the mosquito ranks as the creature responsible for the highest number of human deaths each year, surpassing even the mortality rates associated with creatures like lions and snakes which provoke greater fear among humans.
A select team of experts called the Vector Control Working Group within the RBM Partnership, a United Nations organization aimed at eliminating malaria, has spent the past two decades combating mosquitoes. Their efforts include ensuring that insecticide-treated bed nets get distributed to those most in need and implementing indoor residual spraying in households.
When confronted with insecticide resistance, these experts introduced mosquito nets coated with two different insecticides rather than just one to enhance protection for individuals. They also collaborated with local populations to eliminate potential mosquito breeding grounds before the insects can even develop into adults.
Still the mosquito arises
Still, the mosquito persists alongside us. Similar to how it haunts the ear in folklore, it continues to plague humankind—leaving behind a path of destruction. In 2023, approximately 263 million new instances of malaria occurred across 83 nations globally. This figure marks an increase from the previous year’s tally of 252 million cases. Consequently, this resulted in six million additional individuals contracting malaria. These affected persons might include children unable to attend school, workers absent from their jobs, or farmers incapacitated during crucial planting seasons due to illness. Among those impacted, roughly 600,000 may have succumbed to the disease, whereas others live quietly with enduring impairments caused by malaria.
The increase in malaria incidents, despite the flatlining death rates, highlights the tenacity of mosquitoes and raises a crucial query: Are we prepared for this challenge? Can we achieve our objectives for eliminating malaria by 2030?
Surely, the recent declarations of countries like Egypt and Cabo Verde as malaria-free zones offer a glimmer of hope. However, issues such as antibiotic and pesticide resistance, dwindling international and domestic funding, unpredictable weather patterns, and escalating humanitarian emergencies persist. These factors allow mosquitoes to continue thriving.
In 2023, only $4 billion was allocated towards combating malaria, which is below half of the required $8.3 billion to achieve international goals. During the last five years, the financial shortfall for tackling malaria has increased consistently. This deficit amounted to $2.6 billion in 2019 and expanded to $4.3 billion by 2023.
This financial shortfall impacts every aspect of malaria eradication efforts, such as controlling mosquitoes. Advanced solutions require investment; failing to develop strategies to combat these insects has fatal consequences. Therefore, it’s crucial for both national authorities and global contributors to allocate funds specifically toward tackling malaria and managing vectors, ensuring past achievements aren’t lost and paving the way forward. Amidst dwindling assets and escalating demands from various aid sectors, we cannot afford to let malaria persist unchecked.
World Malaria Day’s theme, "Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite," challenges us to picture a future without malaria and encourages action toward eliminating this lethal illness forever. This journey begins with tackling the persistent and daring mosquito—a pest we must strive relentlessly to control. Measures aimed at controlling mosquitoes not only combat malaria but also help manage various other illnesses. By fostering cleanliness and promoting healthier environments, we can deter multiple types of pests. As a result, communities thrive, and healthcare systems become more robust due to reduced pressure from widespread diseases.
Ms Patience Akumu serves as the Advocacy and Communications Manager at RBM. She is also a lawyer and journalist by profession.
Dr. Konstantina Boutsika is a biologist and serves as a Working Groups Specialist at RBM.
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