Solar-Power for Malaria Control (SolarMal)

The objective of the SolarMal project is to reduce malaria burden on Rusinga Island, western Kenya, through mass trapping of outdoor mosquitoes using a proof of principle concept that uses odour baited traps driven by solar power. 

The Solar Powered Mosquito Trap (SMOT) is baited with a synthetic odour blend that mimics human odour to lure host-seeking malaria mosquitoes. Since the SMOTs are also a source of clean lighting energy, they pre-empt the use of kerosene-powered lamps, thereby providing additional health benefits to users.

To date, approximately 4200 households have benefitted from the SolarMal project. Monitoring of mosquito numbers, species composition, malaria prevalence and incidence, as well as socio-economic implications is ongoing. If data analysis on the effects of SMOTs on malaria transmission on Rusinga Island shows efficacy, it will serve as a platform for scaling up the technology.

Funding:                   

• Solarmal is funded through the Food for Thought campaign of the Wageningen University Foundation.

Collaborators:          

• Wageningen University, the Netherlands 
• The Swiss Tropical Public Health
• Rusinga Island community