SLIM – Sumba Livestock Ivermectin for Malaria Control

Malaria has been brought to everyone’s attention for years, even though it is considered a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD). Some obstacles are always visible in the midst of the effort to eradicate malaria. And some of us may be wondering what we should do to eradicate malaria. To crack the code, we must change our perspective. Surprisingly, our researchers have discovered a new method for unscrambling the threads. We are investigating the effects of ivermectin treatment on livestock such as cattle and buffalo. This project takes place on Sumba, one of the most beautiful islands in the world. As a result, it is commonly referred to as Sumba Livestock Ivermectin for Malaria Control, or SLIM.

What exactly is ivermectin? Ivermectin rose to prominence as a mass drug administration (MDA) for humans and a mass insecticide treatment for livestock (ITL). And have been proposed as a tool for malaria vector control. What is the connection? Ivermectin can easily act as a mass insect killer after being applied to livestock. It is effective against all insects, including the Anopheles mosquito. Which we’re all familiar with as a malaria vector. The most exciting part is the subsequent domino effect. This will shorten the mosquito’s lifespan, reducing the formation of malaria’s spore parasite and, as a result, interrupting malaria transmission to humans. Ultimately, the brightest picture we expect to see is a reduction in the malaria incidence rate.