The Gambia Fogging Machine Small Grant Project Launch  

Photo Caption: Left – The First Lady of The Gambia starting the fogging machines for a demonstrations (second photo) 

By Haley Hauk-Landon, Communications Intern, Malaria Partners International   

In October 2019, Rotarian Jim Moore from Malaria Partners International visited The Gambia to learn about past prevention efforts and future opportunities to work with the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) towards a shared goal— a Malaria-free Gambia. During Moore’s visit, the NMCP requested two fogging machines to fumigate Gambia’s capital city of Bunjal. MPI’s small grants program helped fulfil this request with a $1,800 grant. 

Fogging machines target mosquitoes breeding in shallow, clean puddles of water that are missed by citizens’ spray cans and, therefore, enter homes. The fogging machines first launched this past June and will continue nightly fumigations for 30,000 Gambians. In general, this project equipped the Ministry of Health of The Gambia and advanced the goals of Gambian Rotarians and the NMCP. 

The launching ceremony served as an introduction for the international organizations, like MPI, that helped purchase the fogging machines and platform for Rotary Malaria in Gambia to share its future goals and past projects. As the first event hosted by government health and non-governmental organizations to promote malaria awareness since COVID, it signaled a re-focus on a Malaria-free Gambia. 

Past small grant projects fostered the relationship between MPI and Gambian Rotarians. With MPI’s assistance, Gambian Rotarians and the NMCP distributed insecticide treated mosquito bed nets nationwide, organized an educational campaign for susceptible villages, and shared resources via radio and television. These efforts are focused on target groups, specifically pregnant women and children under five.