Effective implementation of IRS with DDT or other recommended insecticides should be a central part of national malaria control strategies where this intervention is appropriate. It is implemented with the objective of reducing malaria morbidity and mortality and accelerating progress towards global and national malaria targets. However, there are important considerations that must be taken into account when considering whether to introduce or scale up IRS. In particular, there must be sufficient capacity to deliver the intervention effectively, prevent unauthorized and un-recommended use of public health pesticides, and manage insecticide resistance. Intensified research efforts are needed, for example to develop new insecticides, long-acting formulations and improved application technologies.
Along with producing IRS manuals and guidelines, the World Health Organization (WHO) will support countries to collect and analyse data, towards determining potential effectiveness and feasibility of IRS in the national context, and with planning and implementing the intervention. WHO requests countries to report on coverage and impact as IRS is implemented or scaled up.
This position statement is intended for public health policy makers, malaria control pro-gramme managers, development agencies, development banks, academic and research institutions and private sector corporations involved in scaling up malaria control programmes
