African students invent anti-malaria soap
Baku, April 24 (AZERTAC). Two students from Africa have invented a malaria repellent soap that they believe would help save millions of lives in sub-Saharan Africa where 90 percent of deaths occur from malaria transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
Two African students, Moctar Dembélé from Burkina Faso and Gérard Niyondiko from Burundi, recently won the Global Social Venture Competition and were granted a $25,000 award.
The students named their invention Faso Soap. It is made from karate citronella and other herbs, which grow in abundance in Africa.
“We want a simple solution, because everyone uses soap, even in the very poor communities,” Moktar Dembélé, General Manager of Faso soap said. If marketed effectively, the soap will have a sweeping impact in Africa, the inventors believe.
Mosquitoes are responsible for 300 million cases of malaria, says a presentational video of Faso soap. A majority of Africans do not have access to repellents which are expensive, toxic or limited in their use, it continues.
According to the World Health Organization, in 2010 malaria caused an estimated 660,000 deaths, mostly among African children. Two African states, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria, account for over 40% of the estimated total number of malaria deaths globally.
Most malaria cases and deaths occur in Africa, but people in Asia, Latin America are also exposed to the risk of being infected.
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