The World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved the use of DDT indoors as one of three main interventions to fight malaria. The organisation announced that almost 30 years after phasing out the widespread use of indoor spraying with DDT and other insecticides to control malaria, they would once again play a major role in efforts to fight the disease.
WHO is now recommending the use of indoor residual spraying (IRS), not only in epidemic areas but also in areas with constant and high malaria transmission, including throughout Africa, according to its website.
"Indoor residual spraying is useful to quickly reduce the number of infections caused by malaria-carrying mosquitoes. IRS has proven to be just as cost effective as other malaria prevention measures, and DDT presents no health risk when used properly," according to the WHO's Dr Anarfi Asamoa-Baah.