Nigeria and other African countries are at risk of malaria over the discovery of a mosquito species known as “Steve” (scientifically named Anopheles stephensi) which can be responsible for an increase in malaria cases and is raising serious public health concerns.
According to the World Health Organization, the “Steve” mosquito, which is found in South Asia, was discovered for the first time in Djibouti in 2012.
The prevalence of malaria in the country has risen dramatically since it was first discovered. The mosquito has since expanded to seven nations in Africa: Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana.
The “Steve” mosquito is an urban breeder that prefers dry surroundings, setting it apart from other mosquitoes that usually nest in rivers and marshes. It is especially difficult to control because of its low moisture tolerance and ability to thrive by using water that is trapped in gutters, tires, and containers.
The concern is increased by the peculiar behaviors of this new species, which include biting outside in the daytime and showing resistance to widely used insecticides.
The WHO’s chief for tropical diseases in Africa, Dr. Dorothy Achu, emphasized the threat that “Steve” poses in urban areas and questioned the effectiveness of current measures, which mostly center on indoor therapies.
She pointed out that efforts to reduce this robust mosquito’s influence on public health are made more difficult by the difficulties in finding and removing it from hostile climes.
Health experts are wrestling with the pressing need for creative solutions to handle this new danger to malaria control in Africa as the “Steve” mosquito continues to spread.
Numerous African countries persist in executing all-encompassing initiatives to combat malaria, employing a blend of prophylactic measures, diagnostic instruments, and therapeutic therapies. Cape Verde is the most recent of three African nations to be deemed malaria-free.
