Latest News

Deputy Chief of Mission Jessye Lapenn visited an IRS operation in Ruhuha Sector

On Monday March 04, 2013: U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Jessye Lapenn visited an indoor residential spraying operation in Ruhuha Sector, Bugesera District. The U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission was joined by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr. Uziel Ndagijimana, Dr Corine Karema, the head of division, Malaria and other Parasitic Diseases at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) and the Vice Mayor of Bugesera District Julius Rukundo. 

This is the USAID Rwanda ninth round of the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI)-funded Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) spraying , targeting 120,000 structures, with expected protection of approximately 500,000 people in three high burden districts—Nyagatare, Gisagara, and  Bugesera. 

Abt Associates Inc. is responsible for implementing Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) operations in Rwanda in collaboration with the Malaria and Other Parasitic Diseases Division (MOPDD). This year's budget for the current and next IRS spray round and entomologic monitoring in Rwanda is approximately $6 million.

Indoor Residual Spray consists of spraying inside walls of houses with an insecticide that remains active in killing mosquitoes for a period of two to six months. This is one of the four proven interventions that PMI supports along with provision of insecticide-treated nets, treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapies and intermittent preventive treatment of pregnant women (the latter was discontinued in Rwanda five years ago due to rising resistance to the drug in use).

In addition, U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda Donald Koran hosted a UN Foundation-sponsored musical group, Dawes, at his residence Monday evening, to raise awareness of the UN Foundation's "Nothing But Nets" anti-malarial bed net campaign.  Nothing But Nets is a global, grassroots campaign to raise awareness and funding to fight malaria.