CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Cubans to build mosquito compound plant in Tanzania.

TANZANIA, November 14, 2010.- CUBA and Tanzania are constructing a biolarvicide-production plant in Kibaha, Coast Region, aimed at fighting malaria, a disease affecting about 16 million people in the country annually.

The effective biolarvicide, a biological eco-friendly product, will be used by the public health departments to eliminate mosquito at the larvae stage within 24 hours. The product can be sprayed in polluted rivers, choked drains, stagnant pool and other mosquito-breeding areas.

Immediately after spraying, the mosquito larvae start eating the product. The construction of the 23 million US dollar plant has started following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last week.

Contractors are clearing the site ready for the construction of the plant. The National Development Corporation (NDC) Managing Director, Mr Gideon Nasari, told the 'Sunday News' in Dar es Salaam on Saturday the government has contributed 75 per cent or 16.75 million US dollars of the fund required for the project.

"The project was supposed to be ready by next November, but logistics of obtaining the funds delayed the process,” Mr Nasari said, adding that the project would take between 18 and 19 months to be completed in January 2012.

Biolarvicide being a biological larvicide, does not harm human beings, wildlife, fish, beneficial predatory insects or the environment, according to him. It can also be used in areas where chemical larvicides could not be used due to resistance, hazardous to non-target species such as fish and risk of contamination.

The technology was introduced by Cuba which has recently patented China and Brazil to produce the compound. Once the plant goes into operation, the country would export the compound to other countries, which are also in dire need of the eco-friendly malaria products, according to Mr Nasari.

He added: “After three to four years, the country will be free from flies or mosquitoes.” Experts said following ingestion, the end-toxin crystals are activated by the gut fluids. In the active form, the toxins rapidly attack the gut wall.

Lesions in the wall lead to paralysis and death of the larvae within 24 hrs of ingestion. Through the technology, Cuba, India, Brazil, China, Argentina, Angola and Sri Lanka curb malaria and dengue fever vectors.

According to the website of the Cuba’s Foreign Ministry, Havana based entrepreneurial group LABIOFAM would provide the biolarvicide-production expertise. LABIOFAM is devoted to the production, commercialization and export of biological products including medicines for humans and animals.

The Cuban company is recognized worldwide for the high quality of its natural products and projects of cooperation in solidarity with Third World countries. Earlier, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Deo Mtasiwa, told the 'Sunday News' in Dar es Salaam recently that the insecticides spray campaign involving both the use of helicopters in order to kill mosquitoes and spray all water ponds and breeding grounds were in the offing.

Dr Mtasiwa said the Cuban government would oversee the project operations while the government of Tanzania will ensure funding was available.

"We have been importing Bacillus Thurungiensis Var Israliensis (Bti) from the US for spraying to control malaria mosquitoes, but now plans are in place to manufacture the pesticides in the country," Mr Mtasiwa said. (Cubaminrex-Embacuba Tanzania)

 

 

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