Pest control should not be seen as a 'grudge purchase'‚ say exterminators

That's the message from the inaugural World Pest Day‚ launched in Beijing‚ China.

"Pest Control is still regarded as a ‘grudge purchase’ in many countries‚ especially developing and third world economies. The vital role responsible pest management plays in safeguarding our environment is often overshadowed by a perception that commercial gain is our only objective‚" said South African Pest Control Association president Louis Lindenberg.

Lindenberg joined industry leaders and researchers from more than 20 countries in the Chinese capital last week to raise worldwide awareness of the "important role pest management organisations play in protecting public health".

The launch of World Pest Day comes at the right time‚ according to the industry‚ as the number of mosquito‚ tick‚ and rodent-borne diseases like the Zika virus‚ yellow fever‚ dengue fever and malaria have been on the rise in recent years.

The Chinese Pest Control Association‚ which proposed World Pest Day‚ believes that a rapidly warming planet‚ increasing pace of urbanisation and booming trade and tourism have led to an increase in disease-carrying organisms.

According to the World Health Organisation‚ more than one million people‚ exposed to vector-borne diseases‚ die each year.

"The fact that we are part of this initiative testifies to the important role the South African Pest Control Association plays on the international stage‚" said Lindenberg.

"Alliances with other pest professionals from around the world are being forged‚ which will lead to an on-going sharing of information vital to the development of our industry."

The South African pest control industry faces the challenge of a lack of on-going and professional training to "uplift‚ upskill and develop" pest control operators to offer a world class service.