Gates Foundation dismisses claims it has released mosquitoes in Kenya

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has dismissed a social media post alleging it has released mosquitoes in Kenya.

The foundation said it does not conduct any mosquito release activities in the country or elsewhere.

“The Gates Foundation is aware of social media posts claiming that we release mosquitoes in Kenya. This claim is false,” the foundation said.

It further clarified that it neither operates laboratories that release mosquitoes nor runs vector-control activities in Nairobi or any other part of the country.

“The Gates Foundation does not release mosquitoes, operate laboratories that do so or run vector-control activities in Nairobi or anywhere else,” it said in a statement.

The foundation emphasised that malaria prevention and control initiatives are spearheaded by Kenyan authorities and institutions, in line with national laws and regulatory frameworks.

“In Kenya, malaria prevention and control efforts are led by Kenyan authorities and institutions, in accordance with national laws and regulatory oversight,” it said.

The organisation said its role in Kenya is limited to supporting locally identified health priorities in collaboration with the government, researchers and other public health stakeholders.

“The foundation supports Kenyan-led priorities transparently and responsibly, working alongside governments, researchers and public health partners.”

“Our Capital City Nairobi is now flooded with mosquitoes released from your laboratories to eliminate the malaria-carrying ones we're told. We believe your genetically modified mosquitoes are designed to harm us. They're now busy biting children and the elderly,” a social media user posed on X.

“Has Bill Gates Labs deliberately released Mosquitoes in Nairobi so that he can later sell us Malaria drugs? Is that what has happened?” another X user asked.

Another X user added, “Bill Gates Foundation released mosquitoes from their laboratories in Nairobi to eliminate the ones which were carrying Malaria. The genetically modified mosquitoes which were supposed to eliminate Malaria are now "chewing" children and the elderly unapologetically. These people, I think, are creating problems so that they will benefit from it.”

According to the Gates Foundation, malaria kills nearly 600,000 people each year, mostly African children.

The foundation said current tools have helped achieve significant progress but they are not enough to eradicate malaria.

“New challenges like drug and insecticide resistance and climate change threaten existing progress. Gene drive technology could provide long-lasting, self-sustaining protection without relying on human behavior or complex delivery systems, making it particularly valuable for reaching remote, underserved communities,” Gates Foundation said on their website.

The foundation said since no single tool can eradicate malaria alone, gene drive is being developed by Africa scientists as part of a several interventions including next-generation bed nets, spatial repellents, next-generation vaccines, long-acting chemoprevention, and sophisticated monitoring tools.

It said using multiple tools and technologies to address malaria helps countries break the cycle of illness, poverty and death linked to the disease.

According to Gates Foundation, Gene drive is part of a growing field of genetically based vector control (GBVC) tools scientists are exploring to help stop the spread of malaria.

The foundation says it works by changing the genes of malaria-carrying mosquitos so they either can’t pass on the disease or their numbers go down over time.

“These changes are designed to pass through future generations of mosquitoes, which gives gene drive the potential for long-term impact,” Gates Foundation stated.

“Importantly, it only targets malaria-carrying species, leaving others untouched. In remote areas most impacted by malaria, gene drive could be a breakthrough, offering inexpensive and sustainable protection that doesn’t depend on people taking medicines or the constant delivery of supplies.”