Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Vector Biology and Control Division, through the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programme, has proceeded with the release of some 80,000 sterile male mosquitos on 5 December 2025 on 12 different sites in Triolet, with the aim of mitigating the proliferation of the vector population of Aedes albopictus, commonly known as Tiger mosquitoes.
Junior Minister, Mrs Anishta Babooram; the Head of the Vector Biology and Control Division, Dr Diana Iyalloo; the Acting Director, Health Services, Dr Fazil Khodabocus; and other personalities were also present.
In a statement, Junior Minister Babooram highlighted that some Rs 24 million have been earmarked in the Budget 2025-2026 to invest in the SIT Production Facility aiming to deal effectively with mosquito-borne diseases. She pointed out that sterile males will sterile males will mate with female mosquitoes, which will lay eggs that will not hatch. With time, there will be an increase in the number of sterile eggs in these regions, eventually decreasing the population of Tiger mosquitoes thereat, she added.
Mrs Babooram underlined that with the opening of a Facility at the SSRN Hospital, the production of sterile male mosquitos will reach around 250,000 on a weekly basis, thus enabling the release of same in several regions around the island.
Dr Iyalloo, for her part, recalled that the release of sterile male mosquitos in Triolet is the follow up of a successful pilot project carried out in Port Louis last year. She moreover provided details regarding the process through which male mosquitos are bred and sterilised. The release programme will also be carried out in Goodlands, Grand Baie, Cité La Cure, Baie du Tombeau and Roche Bois, amongst others. Sensitisation campaigns will also be ongoing, she said.
As for Dr Khodabocus, he dwelt on precautionary measures which need to be observed in order to prevent mosquito proliferation especially in the raining season. These include: avoiding accumulation of stagnant water; changing water in vases once a week; avoiding the use of saucers underneath flower pots; covering water containers tightly; cleaning up waste lands; and putting all used cans and bottles into covered dustbins.
