Osun State University (OSU) has won Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation $1.4 million Research Grant and other grants.
The research is for the development of black fly pheromone baited traps and some entomological studies on black fly trapping and control in Nigeria.
Speaking at the press conference to herald the development, the Vice-chancellor of OSU, Professor Clement Adebooye, said that the multi-disciplinary research team was led by Prof. Monsuru Adebayo Adeleke, a Professor of Public Health Entomology and Parasitology in the Department of Zoology of the institution.
Adeboye added that OSU developed a long-term research proposal for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on the subject ‘Black Fly.’
The vice-chancellor announced that the research team, in a stiff and healthy competition has received a grant of $ 1.4 million for entomological research and black fly pheromones from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The other collaborators on this project included Prof. B.E.B Nwoke (Imo State University, Owerri); Prof. H.B Mafuyai (University of Jos); Prof. K.N Opara (University of Uyo) and Dr O.A Surakat (Osun State University, Osogbo).
Professor Adeboye emphasized that as the world targets the year 2030 for global onchocerciasis elimination, black fly surveillance forms an integral part of the assessment for elimination after repeated yearly administration of ivermectin (Mectizan) in the endemic communities.
He, however, added that the present tools are insufficient for epidemiologically important xenomontoring to conduct a timely entomological assessment to stop mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin (Mectizan) and post-verification surveillance for onchocerciasis.
He said: “In addition, the vector control approaches to reduce blackfly biting rates have not been fully explored to reduce transmission of persistent oncho-endemic hotspots in Nigeria. These are issues to be addressed in the current studies.”
The vice-chancellor made it clear that Prof. Adeleke is an astute zoologist with a research interest in vector-borne diseases, and disease surveillance tailored towards shaping health policy.
He also affirmed that Adeleke was part of the team that designed the novel black fly dubbed Esperanza trap for the surveillance of onchocerciasis vectors in Africa and America under the supervision of Prof Thomas Unnasch of the University of South Florida, USA, and Prof Mario Rodriguez-Perez (IPN-CBG, Mexico) funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
