ZzappMalaria

ZzappMalaria

ZzappMalaria

Empowering local health teams with AI-driven tools to make malaria elimination effective, affordable, and scalable.

Jerusalem

ISR

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria threatened nearly half the world’s population in 2023, sickening 263 million people and causing 597,000 deaths. Africa bears over 95% of the malaria burden, with the remainder concentrated in India (2%) and parts of South America and Asia. Malaria is the leading cause of death and disease in many developing countries, disproportionately affecting pregnant women and children under five. Beyond its health impact, malaria leads to the loss of millions of work and school days, severely impeding economic development. Countries affected by malaria have an average per capita income just 30% of that in non-affected countries. The most common malaria control methods today are insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS), which have reduced malaria cases but are losing effectiveness due to mosquito adaptation, insecticide resistance, and limited uptake. Decades ago, many countries eliminated malaria using larviciding -- an environmentally friendly method that treats mosquito breeding sites. However, effective eradication requires identifying and treating a vast number of water bodies near homes. Studies show fieldworkers miss about 40% of them, highlighting the logistical challenges of large-scale operations.

We developed an AI-powered mobile app and online dashboard that support large-scale, cost-effective larviciding operations. Already in use, the system analyzes satellite imagery, climate data, and topography to generate location-specific recommendations: where to search for water bodies, which interventions to combine, and how to sequence the operation. Fieldworkers use the app to locate and treat mosquito breeding sites, with all activity logged and uploaded in real time. Managers track coverage and quality via a centralized dashboard. We are now expanding the platform to support a community-based, gig-economy model. Inspired by apps like Wolt, this version allows members of the general public to participate in larviciding activities via their smartphones. Users receive assignments based on nearby untreated areas, are guided step-by-step to locate and treat water bodies, and are paid per verified task completed. All user activity is integrated into the same system as our other operations, feeding into a unified dashboard for monitoring and quality control. This approach enables rapid, low-cost scaling of mosquito control, especially in regions where formal teams are limited. It also promotes community engagement and economic opportunity, while maintaining scientific rigor and operational oversight through our existing AI infrastructure.

Malaria affects developing countries, many of which with a large proportion of the population living in extreme poverty. Within these countries, rural communities bear the brunt, with vulnerable populations disproportionately affected: children under the age of 5, pregnant women, and–more than any other significant health issue–impoverished people. Malaria remains severely underfunded, and the funding gap is ever widening. In 2016, African countries spent an average of just $3 per person on malaria control. Nonetheless, even small improvements can save many lives. Donations to malaria prevention are among the most effective ways to save lives. Our solution, as noted, has been shown to be twice as cost-effective as the current leading anti-malaria intervention, has the potential to save over 140,000 lives annually using existing funding levels. Reducing malaria also leads to better educational and economic outcomes. When children fall ill with malaria, they often miss school, which disrupts their learning—especially girls, who are frequently expected to stay home and care for sick family members. Lowering malaria rates allows children to attend school more consistently and concentrate better in class. On the economic front, healthier individuals can work more reliably and efficiently, increasing productivity and contributing to overall economic growth.