HIL supplies 114.2 tonnes DDT to Zambia

According to the government, malaria continues to be one of the major public health problems globally. The World Health Organization recommends DDT as one of the efficient Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) chemicals to curb the malaria mosquito menace and it is widely used by Southern African countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, and India.

State-owned HIL (India) Ltd has supplied 114.2 tonnes of organochlorine insecticide DDT to Zambia for a malaria control programme, the Union fertiliser and chemicals ministry said on Tuesday. "This is the last phase of dispatch out of the 307 tonne order received from Zambia's healthy ministry," HIL Chairman and Managing Director S P Mohanty said in an official statement.

HIL, the sole manufacturer of DDT globally, is exporting the product to many African countries. Mohanty said HIL recently supplied 20.6 tonnes of DDT to South Africa, while the supply of 129 tonne to Zimbabwe is in progress, he said.

"India is committed to manufacture and supply quality products at reasonable prices to the Southern African region, which will strengthen our bilateral relationship," the ministry added. According to the government, malaria continues to be one of the major public health problems globally.

The World Health Organization recommends DDT as one of the efficient Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) chemicals to curb the malaria mosquito menace and it is widely used by Southern African countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, and India. Spraying of insecticides inside the human habitants i.e. IRS has proven to be an effective mosquito control tool.