In a recent article shared on his personal platform, Gates Notes, the influential philanthropist and entrepreneur Bill Gates has shed light on an amazing “biological weapon” that you are giving your support to. What is it about?
In accordance with Chroniclerthis popup “tool” is being used to face diseases in regions of Africa. This unconventional approach has captured the attention of many as it poses a bold solution to a problem that has plagued African nations like Djibouti.
About a decade ago, Djibouti was at the forefront of malaria eradication. Its leaders placed their hopes in the fact that the elimination of this disease would not only improve the quality of life of its citizens, but would also attract investment, development and tourism.
However, this victory was fleeting. Malaria reemerged with devastating force, with cases rising from 27 in 2012 to more than 73,000 in 2020. This alarming number, in a nation of just one million people in East Africa, revealed a new health threat public.
It’s all the fault of a mosquito
Bill Gates, in his presentation, identified an insidious culprit: a mosquito from South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, called Anopheles stephensi. This invasive species is triggering an increasing risk of malaria in the region. Gates stressed that if this plague is not effectively controlled, an additional 126 million people in Africa will be at risk of contracting the disease.
The uniqueness of this mosquito lies in its adaptation to urban environments, a distinctive feature compared to its African counterparts. “The An. stephensi is comfortable in cities, where 40% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa resides. Rapid urbanization provides a favorable habitat for this mosquito.”Gates observed.
Complicating the situation further is that this species has demonstrated resistance to many insecticides conventionally used to control mosquito populations. In addition, their habit of biting in the afternoons, prior to resting at night, reduces the effectiveness of mosquito nets as a protective barrier.
The answer? oxitec
Bill Gates not only highlights the problem, but also offers an innovative perspective to counter it. In 2018, the Djiboutian government took a radical approach considering a biotech technology called Oxitec, which could revolutionize mosquito control in urban areas. The need for a novel solution stems from what Gates describes as a constant game of cat and mouse.
Oxitec’s proposal lies in use genetically modified mosquitoes to counteract their own disease-carrying kin. The technology has already shown success in fighting the Aedes aegypti mosquito, responsible for spreading dengue in Brazil.
Now, Oxitec seeks to apply this same principle to help African governments control An. stephensi and thereby reduce the spread of malaria.
Gates’s suggestion is encouraging, although it is still in a pilot phase: “At the moment, no Oxitec mosquitoes have been released in Djibouti. However, the government plans to implement these releases in the capital next year, where 70% of the population resides.”.