10.14 Some problems related to house-spraying
- In some areas mosquitoes may become resistant to commonly used insecticides. If resistance develops, insecticides are changed by the national experts.
- Spraying walls often leaves a visible deposit of insecticide, especially when a wettable powder suspension is used. To prevent objections to spraying on these grounds, you should educate householders on the benefits of IRS.
- Some people may object to wall-spraying on religious grounds; the education and communication you offer is important.
- The washing or re-plastering of walls, for religious or cultural reasons, reduces or eliminates the killing-power of insecticides; households should know that re-plastering during the malaria season is bad for their health.
- The community may be reluctant to allow strangers into their houses, for fear that they will interfere with women or steal; this will not be a problem if spray operators are recruited from the community.
- The insecticides may not kill other domestic pests, such as bedbugs; acceptability increases when the insecticides also kill other pests, but households should know that the objective of IRS is to kill mosquitoes and prevent malaria.
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10.13 Safe handling of insecticides