Djibouti Releases GMO Mosquitoes to Fight Malaria

Facts

• Thousands of genetically modified (GMO) mosquitoes have been released in Djibouti to curb the spread of Anopheles Stephensi — an invasive mosquito species that transmits malaria.¹
• The non-biting male mosquitoes carry a gene that kills the female mosquito offspring before they reach maturity, preventing them from biting and transmitting diseases.²
• Creators of the GMO mosquitoes, the UK-based biotechnology firm Oxitec, claim Anopheles stephensi 'poses a huge threat' because it bites in the daytime and is resistant to insecticides.³
• Djibouti was on the verge of eradicating malaria in 2012. However, with the arrival of Anopheles Stephensi, malaria cases have skyrocketed from just 27 in 2012 to more than 70K in 2020.⁴
• It's the first time this kind of mosquito has been released in East Africa. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over a billion GMO mosquitoes have been released worldwide since 2019.²

Sources: ¹Precisionvaccinations, ²BBC News, ³CNN and ⁴www.ft.com.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by New York Times. Genetically modified mosquitoes could harm the ecosystem, transmit unknown diseases, and prompt a dangerous mutation in the malaria parasite, which will find a new way to spread and survive. While the technology may reduce mosquito-borne illnesses like malaria, the associated, unanticipated risk makes the whole process a huge gamble.
• Narrative B, as provided by Umich. The release of GMO mosquitoes could be a game changer in the fight against malaria in African countries that need a permanent way to fight the disease — one that doesn't require continuous investment. Amid an evolving parasite resistant to main treatments, the technology offers an inexpensive, safe, and egalitarian solution to enhancing public health.

Predictions