The United States Department of State has unveiled a new initiative to deploy about 30 million malaria repellents across Africa as part of efforts to reduce the burden of the disease in high-risk countries and protect more than 60 million people over the next three years.

The initiative, launched in partnership with SC Johnson and The Global Fund, will support the procurement and distribution of Guardian, a new American-developed spatial repellent designed to help prevent mosquito-borne diseases, particularly malaria.

According to the U.S. Department of State, the Guardian repellent is the first American product of its kind and represents a breakthrough in mosquito-borne disease prevention.

The Department explained that field testing demonstrated the product’s effectiveness for up to one year, allowing families to remain protected through multiple malaria seasons.

The U.S. Department said that the programme would be rapidly implemented in collaboration with the Global Fund across countries with high malaria burdens in sub-Saharan Africa, while also supporting efforts toward malaria elimination in parts of Southeast Asia.

It noted that the partnership builds on previous collaboration between the Department and the Global Fund in the delivery of Gilead Sciences’ lenacapavir, adding that the latest initiative aims to accelerate access to new prevention tools in vulnerable communities.

The U.S. government further stated that the initiative aligns with the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy, which seeks to promote American-developed medical innovations while supporting manufacturing and research jobs in America.

According to the Department, the initiative also reflects efforts to strengthen partnerships with the private sector in the fight against malaria, while expanding opportunities for U.S. firms, such as SC Johnson, adding that the deployment of long-lasting prevention tools would help improve returns on public health investments and support countries on their path toward self-reliance.

Guardian is a spatial repellent developed and manufactured by SC Johnson, a Wisconsin-based company known for pest control brands such as OFF! and Raid.

SC Johnson stated that the initiative is being implemented on a not-for-profit basis as part of its broader public health intervention efforts.