Problems with the Indoor Residual Spraying program

Taken from 'Implementation of Indoor Residual Spraying of Insecticides for Malaria Control in the WHO African Region Report'

• Adequate knowledge and capacity for proper and safe pesticide management is lacking.
• Shortage of appropriate storage and transportation facilities for insecticides.
• Absence of maintenance workshops for spray equipment.
• Scarcity or inconsistent
• Financing is a major challenge contributing to most of the IRS program management shortcomings.
• Ensuring safe storage of insecticides in all target districts is also important.

Najera JA. (2001). Malaria control: achievements, problems and strategies. Parassitologia, 43: 1–89.




If this product is going to incorporate IRS then these are some aspects of the product I might want to consider:

• Must be space efficient
• Robust
• Easy to operate
• Possibly able to take apart the product and add more compartments on. 
• Easy storage, stackable. 
• Able to see how much liquid is in the tank. 
• The weight and placement of the tank.
• An area on the kit to safely dispose of used kits.
• Solar panels.
•  How secure should it be?
• Does medication need to be water proof.
• Alternative lighting?
• International medical symbols- e.g Bio-hazard
• The local skills and exports.

Summary presentation

Prezi link


This presentation summaries the problem,potential solutions and research to back up those solutions.

Pros,cons and modifications- 4 configurations of the IRS tank

Concept	Advantages	Disadvantages	Modification
Shoulder mounted tank	-Quick to take off and on. -Able to use in confined spaces -Able to agitate the tank when needed.	-All the weight is distributed onto one shoulder. -Pump in awkward position. -Have to take tank off shoulder every few minutes to agitate the tank. -Unable to tell how much liquid is left. -Unable to tell exactly how much water to put in. -Foot stand is inefficient.	- Tank attached to some kind of lever mechanism that allows the user to tip the tank back and forth without taking it off and on. -Add pump to spray gun instead of on tank. - Add transparent panel so user can estimate the amount of liquid left. -Add a foot stand on either side.
Back mounted tank	-Weight better distributed -Able to use in confined spaces. -Possibly able to carry 2 tanks, or larger capacity. -The user has more use of both their hands.	-Harder to agitate the tank. -Have to take off to see how much liquid it in the tank. -Still have to take off to use pump. -May case back strain.	-Add pump to spray gun instead of on tank.
Head mounted tank	-Able to carry a larger capacity. -Better weight distribution. - The user has more use of both their hands. -Ingrained in culture/society.	-Difficult to use in low and confined spaces. -Extra training may be needed. -Have to take tank off and on to constantly agitate tank.	-Add a spinning mechanism so tank can be agitated.
Rolling sphere tank	-Able to hold a larger capacity. -Weight problems are no longer an issue. -Less strain on the user. - Constantly being agitated, no need to stop spraying every few minutes. -Able to walk longer distances.	-Could be more prone to damage. -Product prone to becoming dirty, added time to clean equipment. -May be difficult to transport over certain terrains. -May take up one of the users hands. -Can’t see how much liquid is in the tank.	-Attach orb to user with harness to free up hands. - Add transparent panel so user can estimate the amount of liquid left.