Every year almost 800,000 people, mostly children, die from malaria. Tanzania’s Ifakara Health Institute has begun to develop a device that may help prevent malaria deaths in the developing world using the odor of smelly socks. Researchers headed by Dr. Fredros Okumu know that mosquitoes are turned on by the scent of a smelly sock. The stinky device, which is a complement to bed nets and sprays, is placed outside of the home. Inside the device is a smelling synthetic bait that attracts the disease carriers. Once the aroma attracts them they are trapped or poisoned and left to die. This innovating device won a grant today from Grand Challenges Canada. Dr. Peter A. Singer, Chief Executive Officer of Grand Challenges Canada said, “This local Tanzanian innovation could contribute significantly to accelerating the elimination of malaria and save lives. Grand Challenges Canada is pleased to support Dr. Okumu’s important discovery and further optimize this device, test its potential for impact and if successful identify a path to further development and commercialization to ensure the device is available to communities at a low cost.” Dr. Fredros Okumu’s grant is funded by both Grand Challenges Canada and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It is expected that the device could be in use by the community within two years. Grand Challenges Canada is funded by the nation’s foreign aid budget. Canada is the first nation in the world to take a grand challenge approach to development internationally. In 2008 the Government of Canada committed $225 million over a five-year period for funding of solutions that tackle global health concerns.
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