{"id":60104138,"date":"2025-10-14T18:04:25","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T17:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/?p=60104138"},"modified":"2026-01-05T11:12:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T11:12:30","slug":"uganda-weighs-a-radical-malaria-fix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/climate\/uganda-weighs-a-radical-malaria-fix\/","title":{"rendered":"Uganda weighs a radical malaria fix"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Malaria places a crushing burden on Uganda\u2019s health system, as it does in many African countries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The disease accounted for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.afro.who.int\/countries\/uganda\/news\/ugandas-242-hours-initiative-game-changer-malaria-mortality-reduction\">30-40%<\/a> of Ugandan outpatient visits in 2023, states the World Health Organization. It kills <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bukedde.co.ug\/health\/NV_209610\/strong-uptake-for-malaria-vaccine-across-ugan\">16<\/a> people daily, according to Jimmy Opigo, malaria control programme manager for the Ministry of Health. Children under five and pregnant women are especially vulnerable.<br><br>Incidence of the disease had been reduced in the 2010s by distributing mosquito nets and spraying insecticide, but there has been a resurgence since 2020, and climate change is boosting mosquito numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to stem the tide, researchers at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) have been working on developing a \u201cgene drive\u201d initiative to potentially release genetically modified male mosquitoes into the wild. They would carry a gene which spreads rapidly through the mosquito population, reducing its ability to reproduce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGene drives could complement existing strategies by addressing the root cause \u2013 the mosquito population itself,\u201d Jonathan Kayondo, head of entomology at the UVRI, tells Dialogue Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-beating-back-the-resurgence\">Beating back the resurgence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>From 2013, Uganda\u2019s government managed to lower rates of malaria largely by distributing nets treated with insecticide and carrying out spraying campaigns, researchers <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/globalpublichealth\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pgph.0000676\">described<\/a> in a 2022 study. However, in 2020 and 2021, there was a resurgence of the disease to levels not seen since before the insecticide spraying begun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is not known what caused this, though possible reasons given by the researchers include the changing in 2019 of the active ingredient in the spray, in order to beat mosquito resistance to it, and the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected vector-control measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gene-drive technology is powerful because it is self-sustaining. But that also raises questions about control. Once released, the altered genes cannot be recalled, and their spread across ecosystems \u2013 and borders \u2013 may be inevitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As of September 2025, Uganda was still conducting work on non-gene-drive mosquitoes in contained laboratory settings with none yet released in the environment, an official from the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d44148-025-00286-z\">told<\/a> the journal Nature Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2023, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/malaria\">569,000<\/a> people died in Africa due to malaria. By the middle of this century, climate change will cause half a million more to die from the disease than would under a stable climate, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcg.com\/publications\/2024\/predicting-impact-climate-change-on-malaria\">model<\/a> developed by the Boston Consulting Group and the Malaria Atlas Project. The additional deaths are largely the result of extreme weather events that do damage to mosquito nets and other barriers to mosquitoes, like windows, as well as reduce access to healthcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-targeting-the-fertility-gene\">Targeting the fertility gene<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Birungi Krystal is an entomologist working on the Target Malaria project at the UVRI. Target Malaria is a not-for-profit aiming to use genetic modification to reduce malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in Sub-Saharan Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-article-image aligncenter block--article-image block--article-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--article-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--article-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Research-Team-at-UVRI-Lab_Target-Malaria.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Research-Team-at-UVRI-Lab_Target-Malaria-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Research-Team-at-UVRI-Lab_Target-Malaria-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Research-Team-at-UVRI-Lab_Target-Malaria.jpg 2560w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 1024px) 1024px, 2560px\" alt=\"people in white lab coats\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--article-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--article-image__caption\">Entomologists and laboratory staff at work in the Uganda Virus Research Institute (Image: Target Malaria)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Research-Team-at-UVRI-Lab_Target-Malaria.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1707\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Krystal tells Dialogue Earth it is working on doing this by \u201cmodifying the mosquito so that instead of laying up to 300 eggs [each time] it would lay maybe 10 or less\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She says the challenge becomes making sure that that modification is maintained. Normal genetics dictate that a particular gene is passed down 50% of the time. \u201cAnd when you have a modification like this, which \u2026 the mosquitoes do not benefit from, that modification is usually wiped out even faster than regular genes \u2026 which means you\u2019d have to release large numbers of mosquitoes to compete with the [ones] we have in the wild,\u201d Krystal says. Gene drives attempt to design a trait that is inherited far more than 50% of the time, greatly increasing the rate of its spread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-changing-climate-changing-mosquito-behaviour\">Changing climate, changing mosquito behaviour<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As of 2023, Uganda has the <a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.who.int\/media\/docs\/default-source\/malaria\/world-malaria-reports\/world-malaria-report-2024-regional-briefing-kit-eng.pdf?sfvrsn=bceac4ae_9&amp;download=true#:~:text=Estimated%20malaria%20cases:%20in%202023,years%20(Fig.%202.3).\">third highest<\/a> number of malaria cases globally, with more than 15,000 deaths that year. The five countries with the highest malaria cases, which are all in Africa, account for around half of all the 246 million cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Herbert Nabaasa, Uganda\u2019s health commissioner, champions the country\u2019s work on gene drive technologies, saying that \u201cresearch and possible interventions to control malaria are highly commended\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI welcome the move to bring on board that additional science, managing the mosquito population by checking on the sex or fertility capacity of the mosquitoes, eventually pulling down the biting capacity and biting rate,\u201d Nabaasa says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He observes that with climate change, Uganda has seen the growth rate of the mosquito population more than double, and that warming temperatures are changing their behaviour too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe see that the mosquitoes that would bite at night now can bite during the day. And so the characteristics and the behaviour of the mosquito, especially the female <em>Anopheles<\/em> that spreads malaria, have drastically changed due to environmental factors and climate change,\u201d Nabaasa says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe rising temperatures, the warmth provided, are [also] fertile grounds for breeding of the mosquito and larvae.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-ecological-question\">The ecological question<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Opakrwoth Caysie, a graduate environmental scientist from Makerere University, explains the potential ecological impacts that could arise if the gene drive crashes mosquito numbers, or eliminates <em>Anopheles<\/em> in Uganda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a><\/a>\u201cSuppressing a mosquito [genus] like <em>Anopheles<\/em> could trigger a range of unintended consequences within Uganda\u2019s ecosystems,\u201d Caysie tells Dialogue Earth. \u201cMosquitoes are often perceived only as disease carriers, but they really play important roles for nutrient cycling \u2013 their larvae feed on organic matter in water, help break it down and recycle nutrients \u2013 and maintaining water quality in wetlands and other aquatic habitats.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-article-image aligncenter block--article-image block--article-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--article-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--article-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/female-Anopheles-albimanus-mosquito_Alamy_G1YW2N.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/female-Anopheles-albimanus-mosquito_Alamy_G1YW2N-768x588.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/female-Anopheles-albimanus-mosquito_Alamy_G1YW2N-1024x784.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/female-Anopheles-albimanus-mosquito_Alamy_G1YW2N.jpg 2560w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 1024px) 1024px, 2560px\" alt=\"female Anopheles albimanus mosquito\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--article-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--article-image__caption\"><br\/>Female <em>Anopheles<\/em> mosquitoes, known carriers of malaria, are the object of Target Malaria&#8217;s proposed gene-drive initiative in Uganda (Image: CDC \/ James Gathany \/ Alamy)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/female-Anopheles-albimanus-mosquito_Alamy_G1YW2N.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"5 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1960\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Caysie further notes that by existing in large numbers, mosquitoes influence population dynamics of their predators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf [mosquito numbers are] drastically reduced, predators may decline or shift diets, which can cause cascading effects in ecosystems,\u201d he says. \u201cAltering or removing them may create far-reaching effects that could extend beyond the immediate goal of malaria control, potentially leading to disruptions in biodiversity, shifts in ecosystem dynamics, and unforeseen environmental risks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lessons-from-burkina-faso\">Lessons from Burkina Faso<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2019, Burkina Faso became the first African country to <a href=\"https:\/\/targetmalaria.org\/virtual-press-room\/press-releases\/scientists-share-the-results-from-the-first-ever-release-of-non-gene-drive-genetically-modified-mosquitoes-in-africa\/\">release<\/a> genetically modified male mosquitoes into the wild. The mosquitoes were sterile and were released in small numbers under the supervision of researchers at Target Malaria. Because the sterility could not be passed on to subsequent generations, this is different to a gene drive which is self-perpetuating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The trial ended without visible ecological harm, but it was temporary by design. It nonetheless <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2018\/nov\/25\/gm-mosquitoes-released-burkina-faso-malaria-gene-drive\">sparked<\/a> intense debate, with critics accusing researchers of &#8220;medical colonialism&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe key lesson from Burkina Faso is that local communities must be fully informed and consent clearly established,\u201d says Noumechi Rochel, a regional health advocate. \u201cOtherwise, trust erodes quickly, and the science becomes entangled in politics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"wp-block-cd-related-news alignright block--related-news loading\" data-post-id=\"60049187\"><div class=\"block--related-news__image\"><\/div><div class=\"block--related-news__content\"><span class=\"block--related-news__heading\">Recommended<\/span><span class=\"block--related-news__title\"><\/span><\/div><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>This, along with health and ecological <a href=\"https:\/\/apanews.net\/burkina-faso-ends-flagship-malaria-project\/\">concerns<\/a>, appears to have been partly the case in the non-gene-drive initiative launched in Burkina Faso on 11 August this year. Target Malaria released 16,000 mosquitoes genetically modified to produce non-gene-drive male offspring almost exclusively but suspended the programme just a week later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Burkina Faso government dispatched a team to spray insecticide in the release area and kill insects still in the lab. The outlet Science <a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/content\/article\/after-humiliating-raid-burkina-faso-halts-gene-drive-project-fight-malaria\">reported<\/a> that anti-Western disinformation campaigns and false accusations had in part led to public opposition to the project, including unfounded claims that the NGO was using the modified mosquitoes to spread disease and sterilise people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"wp-block-cd-related-news alignright block--related-news loading\" data-post-id=\"60037435\"><div class=\"block--related-news__image\"><\/div><div class=\"block--related-news__content\"><span class=\"block--related-news__heading\">Recommended<\/span><span class=\"block--related-news__title\"><\/span><\/div><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>In Uganda, Target Malaria has been holding community meetings in potential trial districts to explain the research on gene drives. Visual aids and local-language sessions are used to demystify the science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But campaigners question the efficacy of such meetings, given that rural communities may not be able to truly grasp the long-term implications of gene drives. \u201cYou cannot simplify this technology enough to guarantee full understanding,\u201d says a Kampala-based human rights activist. \u201cThat creates an imbalance of power between foreign funders, local scientists, and communities who will live with the consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Concerns also extend to consent. In tightly knit rural areas, decisions are often made by local leaders, leaving ordinary residents with little influence. Critics worry that consent obtained under such circumstances cannot be considered free and informed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Developments in Uganda are being closely watched by other African nations, including Kenya, where malaria remains a major public health burden. Scientists at the Kenya Medical Research Institute have been <a href=\"https:\/\/nation.africa\/kenya\/health\/kenya-to-release-genetically-modified-mosquitoes-to-fight-malaria--4679332\">exploring<\/a> similar genetic approaches, though public acceptance and regulatory approval remain hurdles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Health experts say Uganda\u2019s move could provide valuable lessons for countries across Africa. \u201cIf Uganda demonstrates that gene-drive mosquitoes can be tested safely and ethically, this may pave the way for regional harmonisation of biotechnology regulation,\u201d says a Nairobi-based malaria researcher who was not involved in the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-policy-dilemma\">Policy dilemma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Uganda\u2019s National Biosafety Committee is drafting regulations to cover genetically modified organisms, including gene drives. But without comprehensive biosafety legislation in place, the legal path to a release remains <a href=\"https:\/\/malariajournal.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s12936-021-03682-6\">uncertain<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, gene-drive mosquitoes are not yet present in Uganda, and genetically modified non-gene-drive male-bias mosquitoes remain confined to laboratories in Entebbe, the country\u2019s second largest city. But the debate surrounding them is no longer academic. It touches on livelihoods, sovereignty and the balance between human survival and ecological stewardship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Uganda weighs its next steps, especially in light of the setbacks faced by Burkina Faso\u2019s gene-drive initiative, one question looms large: can Uganda fight malaria with cutting-edge science without crossing a line that nature cannot redraw?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Correction note:<\/em> <em>This article was updated on 5 January 2026 to clarify that there are no gene-drive mosquitoes in Uganda as yet<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scientists are testing genetic modification to collapse mosquito populations. What are the risks?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50000859,"featured_media":60104246,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[761],"tags":[519,551,20000628],"hashtags":[],"country":[50040743],"class_list":["post-60104138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climate","tag-climate-impacts","tag-health","tag-science","country-uganda"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Uganda weighs a radical malaria fix | Dialogue Earth<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Scientists are testing genetic modification to collapse mosquito populations. 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