Table 1 Milestones in the history of malaria vector control in Zambia: 1929 to 2010

Inception of malaria prevention and control efforts in Northern Rhodesia

Malaria legislation initiated in Northern Rhodesia

De Meillon research on vector behaviour (An. gambiae complex)

Enactment of the Mosquito Extermination Act (environmental management)

IRHS the Federal Malaria Eradication Programme in urban areas

Split of Federation, Northern Rhodesia begins to lose resources to Southern Rhodesia

Amendment of Mosquito Extermination Act (measures to reduce mosquito breeding)

IRHS coverage in urban areas reduces by 30% and vector studies by Shelly conducted

Chemoprophylaxis introduced in rural areas

Studies on vector bionomics by Bransby Williams

Mines reduce expenditure on malaria control

UNICEF funded ITN project initiated in Samfya district

Health reforms and inclusion of malaria in the basic health care package

JICA funded ITN project in Chongwe district

Annual in vivo surveillance commenced by NMCP, documentation of rising resistance to chloroquine, WHO funded ITN project in Ndola

Signing of the WHO AIM Harare Declaration and implementation of the USAID and JICA funded integrated malaria initiative in three districts in Eastern province

Extensive Malaria Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) studies conducted across the country

Malariometric surveys to define malaria endemicity and consolidation of the ITN distribution through the Community Based Malaria Prevention and Control programme in 41 districts

Development of the first 2000–2005 National Malaria Strategic Plan, reintroduction of IRS by the private-sector and prioritization of ITNs for vector control by the malaria control programme

Consultative discussions by the public sector with private sector and other stakeholders on IRS scale up

Needs assessments for IRS implementation conducted in 5 districts and introduction of multiple ITN distribution mechanisms

Treatment policy change from chroloquine to ACTs and reintroduction of IRS by the public sector

Introduction of the IVM strategy, scaling up IRS to eight districts and the waiving of taxes and tariffs on ITNs and retreatment kits by the government

Development of the 2006 – 2010 National Malaria Strategic Plan, strengthening of supervision, geo-coding and logistics for IRS by HSSP, SEA conducted in fifteen IRS districts and introduction of the free mass distribution of ITNs in Zambia. Environmental management for malaria control launched in Lusaka on 21^st October 2005

Rapid scale up of ITNs for impact covering six of the nine provinces in the country and consultative meeting held with Valent Biosciences Coorporation (VBC) on larval source management using Bio-larvicides.

Sockage pits, wash bays and evaporation tanks constructed in 15 IRS districts, efficacy studies on larvicides (Bacillus thuringesis var.israelensis, Insecticide Growth Regulators and Monomolecular Surface Films) conducted by the NMCC

Public sector scales up IRS to thirty six districts, Production of guidelines on distribution and utilization of ITNs for Malaria Prevention and Control, Feasibility assessments for integrating LSM into the malaria control programme by Durham University, VBC and WHO conducted in Lusaka, Position statement on LSM made and Larviciding piloted in the urban areas of the initial five IRS districts, An inter-sectoral stakeholders consensus meeting on scaling up LSM to 8 urban districts held.

Production of country specific guidelines for IRS in Zambia and scaling up the mass distribution of ITN to all the nine provinces, The use of larvivorus fish (Gambusia affinis) launched on 25^th April during the commemoration of the World Malaria Day, Needs assessments for scaled up LSM implementation conducted in eight urban districts using Global fund Round 4, insecticide resistance monitoring strengthened.

IRS scaled up to fifty four districts, training and orientation of community and district health management teams on LSM and Implementationin May 2010, Monitoring and Supervision conducted in collaboration with Konkola Copper Mines and Mopani Copper Mines. Insecticide resistance management strategy for malaria vector control established