HIL, India supplies 20.60 MT of DDT to South Africa

DDT plays a key role in worldwide malaria control programs

Hindustan Insecticides Limited, (HIL), India has supplied 20.60 Metric tonne of DDT 75 % WP to South Africa for their Malaria control program on July 20, 2020. HIL, India is  a PSU under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and the sole manufacturer of DDT globally. 

The Department of Health, South Africa shall be utilising DDT  in three provinces adjoining Mozambique which are highly affected with Malaria. There are reports of maximum morbidity and mortality due to the disease in recent years. 

Malaria continues to be one of the major public health problems globally. In 2018, an estimated 228 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide and most malaria cases and deaths (93 percent) were reported from African Region.

India accounts for the majority of cases and death in the South East Asia region, where spraying of insecticides inside the human habitants has proven to be an effective mosquito control tool.

HIL, India was incorporated in 1954 to manufacture and supply DDT to the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for malaria control programmes. In 2019-20, DDT was supplied to 20 States in the country.