American consumer goods manufacturer SC Johnson has set up a mosquito repellent production line in Nairobi, aiming to meet growing demand as the company awaits a potential endorsement from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Africa continues to bear the brunt of malaria, accounting for 94 percent of global cases and 95 percent of related deaths, with children under five being the most vulnerable. WHO data shows that in 2023, Kenya recorded 3.29 million cases of the disease.
SC Johnson Chairman and CEO Herbert Fisk Johnson III expressed optimism about the company’s new initiative, stating that they are on the verge of securing a WHO policy recommendation, which would facilitate wider distribution of the product.
“We have just achieved a major milestone by launching high-speed production of this innovative tool in Kenya. Our goal is to produce 20 million units annually, and this is just the beginning,” he noted in a LinkedIn post.
The multinational had previously announced a $10 million investment in its Nairobi-based spatial repellent production line in April 2023. Spatial repellents function by emitting chemicals into the air to keep mosquitoes at bay, thereby reducing the risk of disease transmission. These products can serve as either repellents or mosquito-killing agents.
Kenya has made significant strides in malaria control, with the Ministry of Health reporting a 50 percent reduction in cases over the past decade. In addition to vector control measures, the country has been actively promoting malaria vaccines to combat the disease.
