In Lagos this July, scientists, ministers, and public health leaders gathered to declare what the evidence has long suggested: that the creatures carrying malaria, dengue, and Lassa fever are not merely nuisances but vectors of national vulnerability. Africa's fifth Global Pest Conference reframed pest management not as a sanitation afterthought but as a pillar of biosecurity, food safety, and human dignity. The call was not for more chemicals, but for a wiser, more integrated science — one that honors local knowledge, demands regulatory accountability, and recognizes that the health of people
Africa's experts call for science-driven pest management as public health priority
Effective pest management is essential to preventing diseases such as malaria, dengue, Lassa fever and yellow fever across Africa.