Agriculture
Fighting Malaria nn Liberian refugee camps
BASF provided supplies of Fendona® insecticide free of charge to an initiative spearheaded by Malaria Emergency Technical and Operational Response (MENTOR) aimed at controlling malaria in refugee camps in the war-torn West African nation of Liberia.
Supplies of Fendona® were used to spray the quarters housing an estimated 190,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), including men, women and children who had fled their native regions to seek refuge in the nation’s capital of Monrovia.
At the time, the World Health Organization estimated that up to 247 million people throughout Africa were infected with malaria annually, with nearly 800,000 deaths occurring each year. Of regions throughout the continent, Liberia and its West African neighbors were some of the most intensely affected. Because of overcrowded, unsanitary living conditions and looming rainy weather, the Liberian camps were at serious risk of an epidemic outbreak of malaria. To help prevent this impending disaster from becoming a reality, relief workers used Fendona® residual spray. Fendona® eliminates mosquitoes and other disease-causing insects, both on contact and through ingestion, on virtually any surface, including wood, glass and concrete.
To help nearly two million other refugees in similar conditions throughout the region, the International Rescue Committee also requested supplies of Fendona® to be used for malaria prevention in other African complex emergency situations, in addition to the original supply sent to support MENTOR’s efforts.
BASF stands behind its commitment to serving public health needs throughout the world, a commitment demonstrated by the company’s participation in these and other efforts.
