Supporting malaria vector control

Vector control is a highly effective way to reduce malaria transmission and is a vital component of malaria control and elimination strategies. WHO currently recommends either insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) or indoor residual spraying (IRS) for large-scale deployment in areas at risk of malaria. Supplementary interventions, such as larviciding, may be considered depending on context and resource availability.

WHO is monitoring the trends in vector control intervention coverage and of the major threats to the global control and elimination efforts. Reporting on global progress is provided in the World malaria report, and data on the key vector control threats are shared through the Malaria Threats Map.

To inform the development of WHO recommendations and associated practical guidance for Member States and their implementing partners, WHO regularly convenes experts through various standing groups or ad-hoc consultations, including specifically the Vector Control Advisory Group (VCAG), which assesses the public health value of new interventions, and the Guidelines Development Group (GDG), which supports the development of WHO recommendations for interventions for which public health value has been confirmed by VCAG. New and updated recommendations are published in the WHO guidelines for malaria. These consolidated guidelines bring together all of WHO's current recommendations for malaria – they are intended as a “living resource” and are updated periodically as and when new evidence becomes available.