Yaounde Initiative Foundation

YIF is assessing a cold fogger for adult mosquito control

Graham Matthews — Thu, 07 Jun 2018 12:56:48 +0000

There is a new addition to the YIF toolbox for vector control – a vehicle mounted cold fogger has been imported from the UK for trials to determine whether a routine space treatment can drastically reduce a mosquito population and thus protect people from outdoor biting and malaria transmission in urban areas. The research complements extensive field trials carried by YIF on slow release pesticides for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS). This photo is from the United States where space spraying for adult mosquito control is widespread.

New publication in Parasites and Vectors

Hans Dobson — Tue, 29 May 2018 13:11:25 +0000

Using data from the Cameroon blackfly control and monitoring work, along with other field data, a model has been developed by Maria-Gloria Basañez and colleagues at the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London. The work was published by Routledge et al. with several YIF co-authors, in the journal Parasites and Vectors in May 2018 – see https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-2864-y The conclusion was that onchocerciasis elimination may not be achieved with annual ivermectin distribution in all endemic foci. Complementary and alternative treatment strategies (ATS), including vector control, will be necessary.

YIF assists with disposal of obsolete pesticides

Didier Baleguel — Sun, 14 Jan 2018 13:59:40 +0000

Around 50 tonnes of obsolete pesticides have finally been removed from Edea by an international hazardous waste company and shipped to Europe for high temperature incineration in specialist facilities – the only environmentally acceptable method of disposal . This was a project co-financed by FAO and CropLife International, and YIF played the key role in Cameroon in the logistics,repacking, PR and management of the programme.

New River Blindness publication

Hans Dobson — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 13:35:49 +0000

YIF has published a new paper entitled “River blindness – A neglected disease transmitted by blackflies (Simulium spp.)” by Jane Che et al. It is available at https://bit.ly/2JUhcGf. YIF continues to provide support to the Cameroon government on larviciding for blackfly control.

New publication on the impact of distributing insecticide treated mosquito nets

Graham Matthews — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 14:14:03 +0000

YIF assessed the impact of distributing 5,000 insecticide treated bed nets (PermaNets) and has published the results in Outlooks on Pest Management – see the publication at: https://bit.ly/2sUoobQ. The distribution of the nets had a substantial impact on malaria incidence in Libamba community, lasting for at least 4 years post-intervention.

Dr Jane Che was able to follow the incidence of malaria which showed that children benefited by being under the nets, but adults still got malaria. As a result of the expansion of electricity in towns and villages, people are not going indoors as soon as the sun goes down, so biting occurs during the evenings outdoors. However, it is quite clear from previous YIF research that effective control of malaria requires a ‘blended attack’, involving bednets, mosquito control, infection surveillance and awareness raising, rather than the one-technology approach that some promote. In The USA, space treatments are the main method of reducing mosquito populations, but so far WHO has only recommended cold or thermal fogs in emergencies such as at refugee camps.

Graham Matthews technical support

Hans Dobson — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 13:54:49 +0000

Professor Graham Matthews visited Cameroon in 2017 on behalf of ACTIS to develop an update on what was being done to alleviate the biting of blackflies – a major constraint to productivity. The photo is of the outflow from the Songloulou Dam, showing the enormous volume of turbulent, oxygenated water, ideal for development of Simulium blackfly larvae. Engineering solutions would be a more efficient approach than curative actions later.

YIF provided technical assistance to COTCO

Terry Wiles — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 13:41:49 +0000

The Chad–Cameroon Petroleum Development and Pipeline Project is a controversial project to develop the production capacity of oilfields near Doba in southern Chad, and to create a 1,070-kilometre (660 mi) pipeline to transport the oil to a floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO), anchored off the coast of Cameroon, near the city of Kribi. It is operated by ExxonMobil (40%) and also sponsored by partners forming the consortium, Petronas (35%) andChevron (25%). The governments of Chad and Cameroon also have a combined 3% stake in the project. The project was launched on October 18, 2000, and completed in June 2003 (the official inauguration took place in October of the same year).

Staff absences due to malaria, and the associated productivity problems, led to YIF being asked to provide an analysis of the mosquito problems and to recommend control measures to the Cameroon Oil Transportation Company (COTCO), together with providing training of staff at pumping stations, other installations and villages along the pipeline. YIF is a registered supplier of technical services to Exon Mobil.

The picture shows Indoor Residual Spraying, which is a key technology in malaria control.

YIF commissioned to assess COTCO mosquito control

Hans Dobson — Sun, 14 Dec 2014 12:36:55 +0000

In November 2014, Professor Graham Matthews visited Cameroon on behalf of the Cameroon Oil Transportation Company (COTCO) to carry out an evaluation of their malaria mosquito control practices at two pumping stations; Dompta in north Cameroon; and Belabo in the east of Cameroon to evaluate the control methods currently used and to recommend future action. At both locations the mosquitoes are resistant to the pyrethroid insecticides used on long lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLITNs) and are the only insecticide type currently used to impregnate bed nets. As the insects are resistant to this chemical, an insecticide with an alternative mode of action is needed for indoor residual spraying (IRS), e.g. pirimiphos methyl (Actellic) or bendiocarb. Professor Matthews gave advice on improved Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) methods and technology, as well as other transmission prevention measures.

Keeping the number of blackflies down

Graham Matthews — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 11:25:00 +0000

The Yaounde initiative has been continuing to treat parts of the Sanaga River between Edea and Monatele to keep the numbers of blackflies as low as possible while minimising the number of treatments of larvicide in the river. The data for 2012 and early 2013 show that where the river was treated the number of flies was generally below 50 blackflies per trap per day in contrast to upstream where the number of flies per trap were between 120 and 230 per trap per day. In 2012, the river was treated four times [starting 16^th March; 27^th April; 13^th; July, 9^thNovember] and twice in 2013 [starting 25^th January and 22^nd March] on the basis of action thesholds rather than calendar spraying. This frequency contrasts with the weekly spraying done during the 25 year Onchocerciasis Control Programme over most parts of west Africa.

CleanFarms Cameroon project completed successfully

Pierre Baleguel — Sat, 21 Sep 2013 11:54:42 +0000

With a final presentation to the Minister of Agriculture, the CropLife International-funded CleanFarms project in Cameroon has been completed with around 50 tonnes of obsolete pesticide from many sites repackaged in UN approved drums and bags and transported to a secure centralized store – see photograph of part of the stock. This was achieved without spillage or harm to any personnel involved, due in part to the expert supervision of the operations by the firm Veolia Environmental Services (UK) and the skill and dedication of the field teams from YIF and the Agricultural and Environmental Ministries. FAO also helped with some co-finance and logistics assistance from the country office, and are currently finalizing a Global Environment Fund project that will export the stocks for safe high temperature incineration.