1,83,610 malaria and dengue cases were reported in India until August 2024, according to the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC). The growing threat of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue is no longer confined to the monsoon season, posing a year-round concern for public health, especially among children, who are the most vulnerable. With children being at higher risk due to their developing immune systems, ensuring their protection becomes an urgent priority. Thus, Goodknight collaborated with Maha Pedicon, organized by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, to highlight the role of pediatricians in raising awareness about preventive measures.

During the discussions on child health, senior pediatricians such as Dr. Nitin Shah, Dr. Vijay Yewale, Dr. Ganesh Kulkarni, and Dr. Surendranath, along with Dr. Reena Bibals, Global Head of R&D (Household Insecticides) at Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), participated in a panel to discuss the alarming rise in diseases like dengue and malaria and the importance of adopting safe and effective prevention strategies in households. The discussion was jointly moderated by Dr. Vasant Khalatkar, National President-Elect of IAP, and Dr. Samir Dalwai, Developmental Pediatrician & Senior Member of IAP. The panel discussed essential safety aspects of household insecticide products, including how to identify government-approved, legal, and safe options, as well as best practices for responsible usage to protect family health.

Speaking at the panel discussion, Reena Bibals, Global Head – R&D (Household Insecticides), Godrej Consumer Products Ltd, said,” By collaborating with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, our initiative has two key objectives. First, to raise awareness amongst households about the use of effective solutions to prevent mosquito-borne diseases. As per a Goodknight survey report, 58% of Indians are very particular about the kind of mosquito repellents they use, we must make them aware of preventive solutions that are available in the market post undergoing due regulatory compliance“.

Reena Bibals further added, “Our second focus is to engage medical professionals to generate awareness of the regulatory compliance and safe use of mosquito repellent products from reliable brands that are available in the market. This will empower them to offer the best preventive care and guidance to their patients. As a category leader, Goodknight is committed to driving these efforts, fostering both better mosquito control solutions and greater awareness of the right preventive measures.”

Dr. Samir Dalwai, a prominent Developmental Pediatrician and Senior Member of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) said, “While it affects everyone, children remain the most vulnerable to mosquito-borne diseases. At the same time, rising cases of mosquito-borne diseases also lead to an increased socio-economic burden on households. Hence, prevention is a basic yet vital aspect of tackling mosquito-borne diseases and improving the overall health quotient of the nation. A crucial defense mechanism is to utilize legal and medically approved prevention solutions. Prioritizing prevention and adopting approved solutions ensures that they have undergone rigorous testing, are certified as safe and effective, and allow us to protect ourselves without jeopardizing our well-being.”

The panel of pediatricians opined that preventing mosquito-borne diseases will involve personal protection, environmental control, and community efforts. Key solutions include using insect repellents, mosquito nets, and repellent products like vaporizers. Eliminating standing water to reduce breeding sites and applying larvicides are essential environmental measures. Installing window screens and participating in fumigation campaigns also help control mosquito populations. Public awareness campaigns and the use of certified, safe products ensure effective prevention, while biological controls like introducing natural predators further support long-term management. The panel emphasized that public-private partnerships between the government, institutions, and private sector companies will be essential to reduce the impact of mosquito-borne diseases across India.

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Speaking on this invention, Neeraj Jindal, Group Director, Safex Chemicals Group, said, ” Renofluthrin is not just a new product, but a testament to India’s growing prowess in molecular development. After ten years of dedicated scientific work and substantial investment, we are proud to introduce a solution that makes India self-reliant in mosquito control technology. Shogun stays committed to investing in R&D to bring more such products in the future.”

Renofluthrin promises to be twice as effective as existing formulations in liquid vaporizer formats currently available in the Indian market. Notably, it continues to repel mosquitoes for up to two hours after being switched off, offering extended protection to users.

The research and development of Renofluthrin was carried out in partnership with Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), combining Shogun’s expertise in molecule development with GCPL’s market reach. Shogun Organics holds the patent for Renofluthrin and has partnered exclusively with GCPL for its use in India.

Jindal further added, “Renofluthrin has demonstrated efficacy against multiple mosquito species, including Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex, which are responsible for spreading diseases like malaria and dengue. The molecule has undergone rigorous testing and received approval from the Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC), underscoring its safety and effectiveness.”

Shogun has always been at the forefront of developing innovative solutions for mosquito control in India. Having constantly maintained a leadership position in the home care segment, Shogun is moving forward to increase its global footprint by increasing the range of their active ingredient and making them accessible worldwide. In May 2021, Safex Chemicals India Ltd announced the acquisition of Shogun Organics, enabling Safex to enter the home care manufacturing segment. This strategic move has also strengthened Shogun’s position in the market and expanded its research capabilities.

The introduction of Renofluthrin is expected to remarkably impact the household insecticide market, potentially reducing reliance on imported molecules and unregistered products. With the combined strengths of Shogun Organics and Safex Chemicals, the company is poised to make significant strides in both household insecticides and agrochemicals.

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NEW DELHI: India takes a giant leap in the global fight against mosquito-borne diseases. Two homegrown innovations; the world’s lowest-cost liquid mosquito repellent device and a no-gas instant mosquito–kill spray developed by Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), were launched in the presence of experts from the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control, Malaria No More India, Fortis Hospital Noida, among others.

Branded Goodknight Mini Liquid and HIT No-Gas Spray, these innovations make safe & smoke-free mosquito protection accessible for lower-income consumers. Many of them today use unsafe and unregulated high-smoke incense sticks. Doctors caution against using these spurious repellent incense sticks as they may cause bronchitis, asthma, reactive airway disease, and other conditions. Till now, regulated and safe non-smoke solutions, while widely known, were only available at higher prices and with features that did not suit the needs of these consumers.

GCPL understood these needs in-depth and has developed innovations with breakthrough R&D. Firstly, by recognizing that many lower-income households have high mosquito infestation through the night and therefore need a consistent high repellent effect. This resulted in the engineering of Goodknight Mini as a single-mode machine giving high all-night efficacy. Priced at just INR 50 (Repellent Machine + Refill) and refills for INR 35/-, this solution only costs INR 2.5 for a night’s use. With electrification in India crossing the 95%+ milestone (as per The National Family Health Survey – 5 reports released in March 2022), the device is expected to gain wide adoption.

Secondly, because lower-income households have relatively smaller rooms, expensive LPG-based aerosol sprays designed for a large spread in big rooms were not suitable. GCPL took inspiration from no-gas deodorants and developed HIT No-Gas Spray, an innovative instant mosquito-kill, water-based spray for as low as INR 1.5 per use occasion. As per the tests undertaken by GCPL, HIT No-Gas Spray kills mosquitoes faster than spurious incense sticks while being completely safe & smoke-free.

Commenting on the affordable innovations, Sudhir Sitapati, MD & CEO, of Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), said, “We have made great progress so far to lessen the impact of mosquito-borne diseases. The way forward, however, calls for empowering people, especially in small cities, towns, and rural areas. Liquid repellents & aerosols are the most effective solution against mosquitoes, but they remained largely inaccessible to lower-income households due to high pricing. We at GCPL, are proud to introduce the Goodknight Mini and HIT No-Gas Spray. These innovations bring down the cost of liquid repellent and spray categories in India by upto 50% and thus make them accessible for everyone. With these innovations, we are democratizing safe mosquito repellents for lower-income consumers. Supporting the government’s vision of easing the nation’s health burden is our greater commitment.”

Speaking as part of a panel discussion at the launch event, Pratik Kumar, Country Director, of Malaria No More India, opined, “Mosquito-borne diseases, particularly Malaria, has been a public health issue and our goal should be its complete eradication. If we are to enable our Prime Minister’s vision of Malaria free by 2030, we need a different strategy that goes beyond prevention and ensures elimination. New-age tools and technologies will play a vital role. Private health providers have a major role to play. Malaria elimination needs all sections to join hands to focus on a disease that needs more attention. We must develop new solutions, and high-end technology to accelerate access and timely last-mile intervention. More importantly, enabling lower income groups with low-cost solutions in high endemic zones should be a key focus area amongst the next steps.”

“Factors such as climate change have led to increased occurrence of malaria and dengue, leading to a significant rise in the disease burden on the country. While the medical fraternity researches and develops advanced treatments to aid quick recovery, it also becomes important for people to adopt prevention strategies to safeguard themselves, in this case, from mosquito-borne diseases. Although the general public is aware of the need for mosquito protection, they frequently turn to dangerous and unregulated alternatives like repellent incense sticks/ agarbattis, which can lead to more diseases and respiratory illnesses. Although these repellent incense sticks are less expensive, few people are aware of their detrimental effects on health. Thus, Innovation and democratization of practical, cost-efficient solutions that guarantee everyone’s protection are urgently needed”, added, Dr.Rahul Sharma, Additional Director – Pulmonology & Critical Care, at Fortis Hospital, Noida.

GCPL remains committed to reducing the impact of vector-borne diseases in the country. Through its flagship brands like Goodknight and HIT, the company has over the years introduced many innovations across formats.

In 2016, GCPL also launched its CSR effort, the Elimination of Vector-Borne Endemic Diseases (EMBED) Project – in sync with India’s national goal of malaria elimination by 2030. This program is being implemented by Family Health India (FHI) in collaboration with NGO partners and the Health Department of the Government of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. EMBED aims to reduce morbidity and mortality due to malaria, dengue, and chikungunya in high-burden areas. To date, EMBED has been implemented in 9 districts of Madhya Pradesh, 4 districts in Uttar Pradesh, and 2 districts in Chhattisgarh reaching over 5 lakh households across 2,000+ villages. GCP L’s EMBED program has been successful in creating a scalable model that can help high-burden villages of India achieve the goal of malaria elimination by 2030.

With continued efforts to bring about a larger change, GCP L’s new low-cost innovation supports the government’s vision of a nation that is free of vector-borne diseases.

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