A British biotechnology company, Oxitec, is set to begin the controlled release of genetically engineered mosquitoes in Djibouti City by the end of 2025 as part of efforts to curb the spread of malaria, a disease that remains one of the leading causes of death among children under five worldwide.
The initiative involves the release of genetically modified male mosquitoes whose offspring are designed in such a way that female mosquitoes die before reaching adulthood. Since only female mosquitoes bite humans and transmit malaria, the strategy aims to drastically reduce the population of disease-carrying insects without increasing health risks to humans.
According to Oxitec’s Chief Strategy Officer, Neil Morrison, existing malaria control tools such as insecticide-treated bed nets and spraying have achieved significant progress over the years, but that progress is now slowing due to growing resistance among mosquitoes. He noted that declining global funding for malaria prevention, following cuts by major donors including the United States and the United Kingdom, has made innovation more urgent than ever.
The genetic modification process is carried out at a research facility in the United Kingdom, where a specific gene is inserted into the mosquitoes. The insects are then transported to a dedicated breeding facility, described as a “mosquito factory,” in Djibouti. There, a chemical antidote temporarily deactivates the lethal gene, allowing the mosquitoes to survive and reproduce within the controlled environment. Once released into the wild, the male mosquitoes pass on the gene that causes female offspring to die before maturity, gradually reducing the local mosquito population.
The mosquitoes are released through specially designed boxes that can be placed on lamp posts, near shops, or in residential compounds. Once water is added, the mosquitoes hatch and emerge naturally, seeking out local females to mate with. Oxitec says thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes were already released last year during a pilot phase.
Djibouti had been close to eliminating malaria until the arrival of Anopheles stephensi, a mosquito species originally found in Asia and the Middle East. First detected in the country about a decade ago, the species triggered a dramatic rise in malaria cases, from roughly 30 reported cases in 2012 to over 70,000 cases by 2020. The mosquito has since spread to several African countries, including Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.
Health experts say the species poses a serious threat because it thrives in densely populated urban areas, breeds in water containers commonly found in cities, resists common insecticides, and can bite during the daytime, reducing the effectiveness of bed nets.
Colonel Dr Abdoulilah Ahmed Abdi, health adviser to the President of Djibouti, described the malaria surge as devastating to public health, the economy, education, and overall national development. He emphasized the importance of Djibouti’s involvement in developing and funding the mosquito control technology alongside international donors.
Oxitec’s intervention followed an invitation from the Djiboutian government, which sought help after learning of the company’s earlier work using genetically engineered mosquitoes to combat dengue fever in Brazil. The programme is being implemented in partnership with Djibouti’s Ministry of Health, which is also responsible for community engagement and addressing public concerns about the release of mosquitoes.
Morrison acknowledged that the idea of releasing mosquitoes to fight mosquitoes can be difficult for some communities to understand, but stressed that public education remains a key part of the programme.
As international funding gaps widen, with the Global Fund falling about $6 billion short of its target, experts warn that malaria resurgence is a real possibility. Gareth Jenkins, Managing Director of Malaria No More UK, said growing resistance and funding cuts threaten millions of children’s lives, but added that investment in innovation, including genetic technologies, could be a decisive tool in reversing current trends.
Oxitec maintains that public-private partnerships and locally driven solutions will be increasingly critical in equipping African governments with new tools to fight malaria and reduce dependence on traditional control methods.
