Global patronage for mosquito trap seen

By GABRIEL S. MABUTAS

MANILA, Philippines — A mosquito expert has expressed optimism that the government-developed Ovicidal Larvicidal mosquito Trap (OLTrap) will eventually draw patronage from the global community, saying its non-toxicity has made it the best mosquito killer developed so far all over the world.

Dr. Lilia Delas Llagas, one of the most prominent entomologists in the country, said the OLTrap – which has so far proven its acceptability to the World Health Organization (WHO), has great potentials of being adopted internationally as a major tool in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, considering its non-toxic nature.

“As far as I know, this is the first time that we do have an organic substance that can be used locally and globally for larvicidal and ovicidal mosquito killer. (Therefore) it has the greatest potential for local and international consumption,” she said.

Delas Llagas said other countries tried to develop mosquito traps to reduce its population, but ended up using synthetic substances.

“We are proud to say that the country’s very own is non-toxic,” she said.

Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo said the OLTrap has already proven its trapping and killing efficacy many times in both laboratory and field testing.

He said that based on their testing in certain areas before the partial rollout of the OLTrap, the technology, if properly applied, has the capacity to kill 80 percent of mosquitoes in an area, and stunt the remaining 20 percent.

Delas Llagas said that though the technology appears to have been developed and rendered in so short a time, it has gone through rigid testing, and was based on extensive studies.

“It is not a product of illusion, but one of hard work with proven efficacy of attracting and killing mosquitoes, and reducing their population,” he said.

Montejo said seven days from the installation of OLTrap in an area, reduction in mosquito populations could already be felt.

Two months after the start of OLTrap installations, he said, there would be a significant reduction in the population.

“The national rollout of the OL Mosquito trap is our immediate response to prevent and control the deadly dengue disease. The ovicidal and larvicidal mosquito trap is our low-cost yet effective device designed to reduce the population of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes by attracting and killing their eggs in a simple but effective science-based solution,” Montejo said
So far, the DoST and the Department of Health have already distributed the OLTraps to the high risk areas in Leyte and Cagayan Valley through their regional offices and the local government units concerned.

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