Action to eliminate mosquitos needs to be a government priorty

Eradicating mosquito-transmitted diseases must be a top priority for governments, writes Melvin Sanicas.            

Mosquitoes may be tiny, but they have a powerful bite. They spread a number of diseases — such as chikungunya, dengue, malaria, yellow fever, West Nile fever, and zika — which together kill millions each year.

Malaria alone is one of the world’s top infectious killers (behind only tuberculosis and Aids), responsible for 429,000 deaths in 2015. Given the scale and scope of the problem, stronger action to eliminate mosquitos — and the diseases they carry — is a development imperative.