Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS)
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| A sprayer practices his technique on a wall in Zanzibar during a training session, where IRS, in combination with other malaria control efforts, has contributed to a dramatic reduction in the number of confirmed cases of malaria in young children. Source: Karie Atkinson/USAID |
IRS, a proven and highly effective malaria control measure, involves the coordinated, timely spraying of the interior walls of homes with insecticides. Mosquitoes are killed when they rest on those walls. Sprayed houses are protected for about 4 to 10 months, depending on the insecticide used and the housing construction. The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved 12 insecticides it considers effective and safe for use in IRS, including DDT. The choice of insecticide depends on its registration status in country, the housing construction (e.g., mud, brick, or wood), the duration of the malaria transmission season, and susceptibility of local Anopheles mosquitoes to the insecticide.
PMI has supported IRS activities in all 15 focus countries. PMI activities include assessing the environment to ensure safe and effective use of insecticides, educating residents about the benefits of IRS, training spray teams, procuring insecticide and equipment, and developing and evaluating spraying activities.
Resources
- Integrated Vector Management Programs for Malaria Vector Control: Programmatic Environmental Assessment. USAID: January 2007 [PDF, 2.5MB]
- USAID, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 22, CFR 216.3; USAID Environmental Regulations
- USAID and Indoor Residual Spraying
- Roll Back Malaria: IRS Procurement
- WHO Global Malaria Program: IRS
- WHO Manual for Indoor Residual Spraying: Application of Residual Sprays for Vector Control [PDF, 1MB]