World Mosquito Day is celebrated annually on August 20, a date established in 1897, the year in which the British physician Sir Ronald Ross discovered that Anopheles mosquitoes were responsible for transmitting the malaria parasite. This discovery revolutionized the studies of malaria regarding its prevention and treatment.

To this day, vector control remains crucial for understanding malaria prevention, as well as guiding disease elimination strategies. The World Health Organization estimates that in 2020, there were about 241 million cases of malaria worldwide, of which 627,000 resulted in deaths. The African continent is the most affected by the disease, where 95% of cases of the disease and 96% of deaths were registered, and Mozambique is one of the 4 countries with the highest prevalence of malaria, with about 3.8% of cases. .

In 2021, WHO announced the launch of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine among children living in regions with moderate to high malaria transmission. However, the vaccine is another tool in the fight against the disease, however, vector control remains a vital strategy for the control and elimination of malaria, as it is highly effective in preventing infection and reducing the transmission of the disease. . The 2 main interventions are insecticide-treated nets and indoor spraying, both based on entomological studies.

In this context, the Manhiça Health Research Center (CISM) and the National Malaria Control Program (PNCM), in partnership with the National Institute of Health (INS) and ABT Associates, organize a reflection on the main villain of malaria. : the Mosquito.