Djibouti Breaks New Ground in the Fight Against Malaria with First Release of Friendly™ Mosquitoes in Africa, Targeting the Invasive Anopheles stephensi
PRESS RELEASE
Djibouti Breaks New Ground in the Fight Against Malaria with First Release of Friendly™ Mosquitoes in Africa, Targeting the Invasive Anopheles stephensi
Today, the Government of Djibouti has taken a historic step in the fight to end malaria, launching the first pilot releases of Oxitec’s Friendly™ mosquitoes on African soil.
This is a major step forward for the Djibouti Friendly™ Mosquito Program, a public-private partnership formed at the invitation of the Government of Djibouti.
This ground-breaking initiative aims to curb the invasive mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, responsible for the dramatic rise in urban malaria in Djibouti’s capital city – from near-eradication in 2012 to more than 73,000 cases in 2020.
With cities across Africa at risk as this city-dwelling mosquito continues to spread, the maiden flight of the self-limiting Friendly™ Anopheles stephensi marks a critical step towards stemming malaria resurgence across the continent.
23 May 2024, Djibouti City – Djibouti has today taken the lead in advancing an innovative new solution for the fight against malaria by undertaking Africa’s first-ever pilot release of Friendly™ Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. This is the first time a genetically engineered mosquito has been released in East Africa, and the second time on the African continent.
The Djibouti Friendly™ Mosquito Program – a public-private partnership between Djibouti’s National Malaria Control Program, the public health not-for-profit Association Mutualis, and Oxitec Ltd, the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease and threaten food security – is leveraging local expertise with Oxitec’s proven, biological Friendly™ platform to launch a new chapter in the fight against a growing new urban malaria threat now spreading across Africa.
In 2012, Djibouti had all but eliminated malaria within its borders, with just 27 cases detected that year. In the following years, cases and deaths have risen exponentially, reaching 73,000 cases in 2020. This dramatic increase has been driven by the arrival and spread of the Anopheles stephensi mosquito – a highly invasive species which thrives in urban environments, considered among the major threats to malaria elimination in sub-Saharan Africa. These mosquitoes are daytime biters which evade interventions such as bed nets and are difficult to control as they have developed resistance to chemical insecticides. As it continues to spread, Anopheles stephensi is predicted to threaten more than 100 million people living in cities across Africa.
Oxitec’s safe, sustainable and targeted biological pest control technology is ideally and uniquely suited to control this public health threat. Oxitec’s Friendly™ solutions are harmless to local ecosystems, are species-specific, and are already proven to control the dengue -transmitting Aedes aegypti mosquito – another invasive disease vector - by more than 95% in dengue-prone urban communities. The Friendly™ Aedes aegypti is now being sold to households, businesses and governments across Brazil in just-add-water devices.
The first release of non-biting Friendly™ Anopheles stephensi male mosquitoes was conducted in Ambouli, a community in Djibouti City - in the Horn of Africa - following review and approvals from the Government of Djibouti’s regulatory authorities and importation of the Friendly™ mosquitoes into Djibouti in December 2023. Releases of Friendly™ male mosquitoes will continue over the coming weeks, alongside mosquito monitoring, to study how these released Friendly™ males behave in the Djiboutian communities. This first pilot release follows detailed study of Anopheles stephensi distribution, abundance and behavior in Djiboutian towns and neighborhoods over more than two years, alongside deep local community and stakeholder engagement over two years. In workshops and public meetings, health officials, local community leaders and regional experts have contributed to the design and implementation of field studies.
Colonel Dr Abdoulilah Ahmed Abdi, Health Advisor to the President of Djibouti, said: “Our government’s objective is to urgently reverse malaria transmission in Djibouti which has spiked over the last decade. Today’s launch is a significant national milestone, but what’s even more exciting is the potential the solution has for the region and entire African continent. We hope our pilot release of Oxitec’s innovative Friendly™ mosquitoes will serve as a blueprint for other nations facing similar challenges with the spread of malaria.”
Grey Frandsen, CEO of Oxitec, said: “Decades of progress in the race to end malaria are at risk as mosquitoes are adapting and outsmarting human interventions. Our Friendly™ mosquitoes are already proven in Brazil’s fight against the vector of dengue fever, and Oxitec’s mission is to expand this impact to address the world’s most urgent pest threats. We’re honoured to be serving communities in Djibouti. We applaud our partners in this program - not least the Government of Djibouti – for their bold leadership and vision for what the next generation of malaria control can be. The Djibouti Friendly™ Mosquito Program’s groundbreaking mosquito releases are the opening salvo to a new generation of efforts that are modernizing and adapting to the changing nature of the malaria fight. Time is of the essence, and this is a major step forward.”
Bouh Abdi Khaireh, MD, PhD, Director of Association Mutualis, said: “Malaria is a debilitating disease. Not long ago, it was extremely rare in our communities. Now, we see malaria patients suffer on a daily basis across Djibouti. There is an urgent need for new interventions. We’re excited to see what Friendly™ mosquitoes can achieve to combat the mosquito driving this national health threat.”
Oxitec will continue to share updates as the program progresses throughout 2024. More information about the project thus far is available here. Also, see the recent short film by Bill Gates to learn more about the Djibouti Friendly™ Mosquito Program.
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Oxitec Press Office
Isla Beardmore-Gray: +44 7796 619223 | press@oxitec.com
About Oxitec
Oxitec is the leading developer of biological solutions to control pests that transmit disease, destroy crops and harm livestock. Founded in 2002 at the University of Oxford, Oxitec is led by a passionate team comprised of 15 nationalities and is supported by world-class public, private and non-profit partners. Learn more at oxitec.com.
About Association Mutualis
Association Mutualis is a leading not-for-profit organisation serving the public health needs of communities in Djibouti.
About Djibouti’s National Malaria Control Program
Djibouti’s National Malaria Control Programme (PNLP) is the national government agency leading the fight against malaria in Djibouti.