The sandals that could keep spread of malaria at bay

Sample of the sandals.PHOTO|COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Ms Lina Finda, a biochemist who trained in the United States, says the transfluthrin-treated-sandals could significantly reduce the transmission of malaria if scaled up in communities where the disease is prevalent.

A research scientist at the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) has designed sandals, which are impregnated with chemical agents known as ‘transfluthrin’ that can help people keep away from mosquito bites.

Ms Lina Finda, a biochemist who trained in the United States, says the transfluthrin-treated-sandals could significantly reduce the transmission of malaria if scaled up in communities where the disease is prevalent.

After studying the behaviour of mosquitoes for a while now, Ms Finda believes that protecting people’s feet by using the low-cost repellent-treated sandals can provide round-the-clock protection against other diseases such as Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya.

Effective and low-cost tools are needed to proactively prevent outbreaks and control infections, scientists in Tanzania say.

Why sandals?

In Tanzania, 90 per cent of the population live in areas that carry a high risk of malaria transmission, according to the National Malaria Control Program. But also, researchers have found a high risk of Dengue and Zika virus transmission in some parts of the country where Aedes Egypti and Anopheles mosquitoes exist.

Ms Finda, says, “Mosquitoes usually bite people around the feet and ankles. This technology can reduce transmission by 80 percent. A person wearing the sandals can also protect his/her neighbours who are about six metres away,’’ she tells Your Health in an interview. “This can also protect an individual’s entire body,’’ she further points out. The substance used for repelling the mosquitoes—transfluthrin—is now being processed in Kilombero district, Morogoro region by experts from IHI and would be fully rolled out on the market after two years.

“I know people have been using certain mosquito-repellents from biting their legs and feet but this intervention makes it completely impossible for a mosquito to touch an individual’s entire body,’’ she says.

“During the night, people can use insecticide-treated nets to protect themselves from the mosquitoes but there has been no intervention to help people keep away from the malaria-carrying agents during day time. This technology will be useful at all time of the day,’’ she explains.

“Diseases such as Zika fever, Dengue and Yellow Fever are transmitted by mosquitoes that bite during day time. A person can keep away from them by wearing these sandals,’’ she explained.

This technology, however, is still being piloted in communities. Since January this year, the researchers have been testing the sandals before they can be made available on the market for wider access, which will happen after two years.

When available on the market, it could help individuals take part in the prevention of malaria which is the leading mosquito-borne infection in the country.

Together, mosquito-borne infections are among the most costly, significantly burdening low-income countries, according to information from the WHO.