Unitaid announced on 18 August 2026 an investment of US$36 million in two complementary projects to generate real-world evidence on the deployment of spatial emanators and insecticide-treated baby wraps, according to a press release by Unitaid. The initiative will support implementation research as countries prepare to introduce spatial emanators, a new generation of malaria prevention devices. It follows an announcement by the United States Government, the Global Fund and SC Johnson to reach at least 60 million people across priority countries with the product by 2029. The projects will be led by Swiss TPH and the Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases in Cameroon (CRID). The evidence generated is designed to inform practical guidance and support evolving WHO recommendations.
Spatial emanators are devices that release insecticide into the air, reducing mosquito entry, biting and feeding, and providing continuous protection to indoor areas when installed properly and replaced as needed. Evidence from a Unitaid-funded trial in Kenya demonstrated a 32% reduction in new malaria infections. That trial contributed to the WHO’s conditional recommendation in August 2025 for the use of spatial emanators alongside insecticide-treated nets. The tools represent the first new class of malaria vector control in decades. Their rollout is now moving toward scale across priority countries.
The two Unitaid-funded projects will determine the most cost-effective, high-impact use of spatial emanators across different transmission settings, mosquito species and population groups. Research will cover areas with low coverage of insecticide-treated mosquito nets as well as urban settings, working closely with community and civil society organizations. Both projects will also generate early evidence on the potential role of spatial emanators against Aedes mosquitoes, which transmit dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases. Dengue infections in Sub-Saharan Africa grew nine-fold between 2019 and 2023. The findings are intended to guide countries in making evidence-based decisions.
CRID will also lead an additional research study on how insecticide-treated baby wraps could be implemented in different countries and contexts. A recent randomized trial in Uganda found that these traditional cloth carriers, treated with insecticides, reduced malaria cases among infants by 66% when used alongside insecticide-treated nets. CRID will evaluate their use in Cameroon, Kenya and a humanitarian setting on the Myanmar border.
Dr. Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid, said: “Countries are preparing to introduce spatial emanators – the first new class of malaria vector control tool in decades. The decisions they make over the next few years will determine the impact these new tools can deliver. Unitaid’s investments are designed to generate the practical evidence countries need to deliver the greatest possible benefit for people impacted by malaria.”
The CANVeCT project, led by CRID, represents an US$18 million Unitaid investment forming part of the US$36 million announced. It was originally launched in 2025 and has been adapted to reflect the transition to country implementation of spatial emanators. The CONVINCE project, led by Swiss TPH, will assess how communities experience and use the new tools, their costs, and how they can be integrated into existing malaria programs. Findings from both projects will contribute to evolving WHO guidance. Together, they aim to support countries in scaling up innovative malaria prevention tools effectively and sustainably.