Anopheles stephensi Elimination Strategy

This strategy document outlines a continent-wide approach to prevent, contain, and ultimately eliminate the invasive malaria vector Anopheles stephensi from Africa. Originally native to South Asia, this mosquito has rapidly expanded across parts of East, Horn, and West Africa, posing a serious threat to malaria control—particularly in urban and peri-urban settings where it thrives in artificial water containers. Given Africa’s high malaria burden and accelerating urbanization, the document makes the case that elimination, rather than long-term containment alone, should be the shared end goal.

The strategy applies an invasive-species framework aligned with Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR), tailoring actions to different stages of invasion—from prevention and surveillance in mosquito‑free countries, to rapid response for new incursions, containment at the invasion front, and integrated suppression where the species is widespread. It emphasizes coordinated surveillance, larval source management, community engagement, urban planning, and multisectoral collaboration, while highlighting lessons from international case studies and the potential role of novel tools. Overall, the document provides practical, scalable guidance for WHO Member States to protect malaria elimination gains and prevent the establishment of urban malaria transmission driven by An. stephensi.