An ongoing research in Uganda which is trying to explore the use of gene drive technology in mosquitoes to tackle malaria has drawn criticisms in parts of Sub-saharan Africa, prompting medical experts and Civil Society Organisations to call on the Nigerian government to monitor this controversial development closely.
Heavily funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the global research programme is already touting the modification of mosquitoes so they are unable to transfer Malaria to the local population.
The news is easily scintillating to the ears as Malaria has ravaged the African continent for centuries, however, this new technology has triggered “intensive scientific, political and societal debates on its potential risks and irreversible impacts” across Africa, according to Ugandan based Barbara Ntambirweki of AfriTAP/ETC Group and Civil Society Digital Practitioner who works in collaboration with Stanford University. She spoke at a virtual media training on Gene Drive Reporting organised by Renevyln Development Initiative (RDI) Friday.
Barbara said part of the concerns being raised include the inability to recall Gene Drive Modified Mosquitoes (GDMMs) “following releases if something goes wrong,” adding that gene drive organisms may also cross the national borders of countries who have not approved their use and could lead to political issues.
Ecological farmer and molecular scientist, Dr. Diego Barcena explained that there are enough studies to show that Gene Drive alters the gene of organisms, noting its experimentation is already being applied in mosquitoes in the laboratory with plans to release them in Africa countries soon. But Barcena cautioned against nature’s resistance towards this controversial technology, warning that “nature always fights back.”
The Executive Director, Renevyln Development Initiative, Philip Jakpor while calling on journalists and campaigners to further interrogate the issues surrounding the use of technology that seeks to modify the genes of organisms, also tasked the Nigerian health authorities on making independent findings on what the ongoing Gene Drive research in Uganda and other parts of Africa means for Nigeria, considering its huge population.
“We are not averse to technology or innovation as long as they are rooted in facts, the promotion of our culture, are indigenous and protect our people from manipulation in all forms. But we are aware of a new form of colonialism that targets altering our food, our food systems and nature as a whole.
“Gene drives are being experimented already in Uganda, Ghana, and in Burkina Faso where in 2019 sterilized mosquitoes were released. Nigeria, with its huge population of more than 230 million people is a potential testing ground for gene drives. What are the risks? What are the ethical considerations? What are the discussions that should be going on?” Jakpor asked.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there were 249 million cases of malaria in 2022 with Africa accounting for about 94% of all malaria cases and 95% of deaths. The Data further showed that four African countries accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths worldwide: Nigeria (26.8%), Democratic Republic of Congo (12.3%), Uganda (5.1%) and Mozambique (4.2%), statistics which the gene drive research programme now relies on to push its much criticized experiment in many of the African countries with heavy Malaria burden.
Beyond the health and environmental concerns that Gene Drive research raises in Africa, Barbara lamented that there’s a lack of transparency about the ongoing experiment in Uganda, revealing that locals “are exposed to unethical experiments where communities are paid to expose their legs to biting mosquitoes,” as she called for more citizen’s engagement on all matters arising from the research.
By ‘Dotun Akintomide
