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BASF Corporation recently provided supplies of FENDONA® insecticide to an initiative spearheaded by the Malaria Emergency Technical and Operational Response (MENTOR) aimed at controlling malaria in refugee camps in the war-torn West African nation of Liberia. Supplies of FENDONA were used to spray the quarters housing an estimated 190,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), which includes men, women and children who fled their native regions to seek refuge in the nation’s capital of Monrovia.
Estimates of the incidence of malaria throughout all of Africa reach as high as 500 million persons infected annually, with nearly 2.7 million deaths per year. Of regions throughout the continent, Liberia and its West African neighbors are some of the most intensely affected. Because of overcrowded, unsanitary living conditions and looming rainy weather, the Liberian camps were at serious risk of an epidemic outbreak of malaria. To help prevent this impending disaster from becoming a reality, relief workers used FENDONA, a pyrethroid spray that eliminates mosquitoes and other disease-causing insects both on contact and through ingestion on virtually any surface, including wood, glass and concrete.
“The opportunity to assist MENTOR in preventing malaria in the camps in Liberia is remarkable,” stated John Thomas, Global Marketing Manager for BASF Public Health Products. “Hopefully, alleviating disease in situations such as this will help ease the burdens caused by the conflicts that have debilitated this area for so long.”
It is estimated that opportunity exists to help nearly 2 million other refugees in similar conditions throughout the region. In addition to the original supply sent to aid MENTOR’s efforts, the International Rescue Committee has also requested supplies of FENDONA to be used for malaria prevention throughout Africa and the Middle East.
As sole supplier of this type of product, BASF stands behind its commitment to serving public health needs throughout the world, a commitment demonstrated by the company’s participation in these and other efforts. Recently, BASF representatives attended the Ronald H. Brown African Affairs Series, a weeklong series of policy roundtables, public forums, strategy sessions and receptions to engage key influencers, opinion leaders and decision makers on critical issues concerning Africa and its people. Additionally, BASF was recognized for its commitment to public health when President Jimmy Carter presented the company with a certificate of appreciation for its part in a highly successful effort to eradicate guinea worm disease in African nations.
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