FUOYE Prof Urges Mosquito Resistance Check Before Spraying

Professor Hilary Okoh, a renowned expert in Public Health Entomology and Parasitology, has sounded the alarm on the growing threat of malaria in Nigeria, highlighting the urgent need for effective mosquito control measures. Speaking at the maiden edition of the Faculty of Life Sciences’ seminar series at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Okoh presented a compelling case for the importance of understanding mosquito behavior and developing targeted interventions to combat the spread of malaria.

According to Okoh, mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting several disease pathogens to humans, including malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, Zika fever, and chikungunya. Malaria, in particular, is a major concern in Nigeria, accounting for 24.3% of global cases and 95% of malaria deaths in the African Region in 2024.

Okoh’s research in Ekiti State revealed that Anopheles mosquitoes, the primary vectors of malaria, are developing resistance to commonly used insecticides, including pyrethroids used in Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Nets (LLINs). This alarming trend, if left unchecked, may compromise the efficacy of LLINs and other control measures, exacerbating the malaria crisis in Nigeria.

The professor emphasized the need for larval habitat characterization, which involves identifying and understanding the physico-chemical properties of stagnant waters that support mosquito breeding. By targeting these habitats, control efforts can be more effective and efficient, reducing the spread of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases.

Okoh’s recommendations include conducting insecticide susceptibility tests on local mosquito populations before deploying insecticide-based interventions and promoting environmental management, indoor residual spraying, and larvae source management. He also stressed the importance of public education and awareness campaigns to prevent the spread of malaria.

The seminar, chaired by FUOYE’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, and attended by faculty members, colleagues, and students, provided a platform for knowledge sharing and discussion on the critical issue of malaria control in Nigeria.