Africa: Experts Discuss Role of Gene Modification in Combating Malaria

AlexandreMarcou/MSF
Hawa’u looks over her son as he receives treatment for malaria in MSF's paediatric war in Gummi. Zamfara state, Nigeria, October 2023.
21 August 2024
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Ken Muthomi

Nairobi — The swift advancement and adoption of artificial genetic modification technologies in organisms is reigniting the longing to win the fight against malaria.

According to experts who converged in Uganda on Monday during World Mosquito Day, genetic engineering on mosquitoes might be the right piece in the parcel in reducing the population of malaria transmitting mosquitoes.

Malaria is one of the deadliest mosquito-borne diseases transmitted by the female anopheles mosquitoes and caused by the plasmodium parasite. The disease causes extreme fevers in humans.

Every year, malaria causes 200 million cases worldwide, subsequently leading to 600,000 deaths.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Africa in 2022 was home to 94 percent of malaria cases, with pregnant women and children under 5 bearing the brunt.

"Malaria causes every year 200 million cases worldwide, leading to 600,000 deaths. Most of these deaths happen in Africa where children and pregnant women pay the highest price. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that, in 2022, Africa was home to 94% of malaria cases (233 million) and 95% (580,000) of malaria deaths. Children under five accounted for about 78% of all malaria deaths," a statement from the conference read.

Target Malaria, a research consortium that aims to develop genetic technologies to modify mosquitoes, has now spotlighted that gene drive technologies have the potential to significantly reduce the number of Malaria mosquitoes.

Gene drive is a natural genetic mechanism that causes a selected trait to spread rapidly through a species via sexual reproduction over generations. This mechanism spreads a genetic modification in Mlaria mosquitoes that prejudices the rate of inheritance and affects the mosquito's ability to reproduce.

"Innovative, sustainable solutions are needed in the fight against these diseases, especially in Africa. This is why African voices and expertise play a central role in the development and evaluation of these technologies," said Krystal Birungi, Field Entomology Coordinator for Target Malaria Uganda.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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