More than 80% of the world’s population is at risk of one or more vector-borne diseases (VBDs), which together are responsible for 17% of the global burden of disease. The AU is guided by its vision of An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena. The AU has been steadfast in proposing more enabling and science-based approaches to the challenges of the continent. Its report on gene drives clearly embraces the technology as a realistic option for effective disease control.
A constructive development along this path was witnessed at the 29th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, where pursuant to Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.649 (XXIX), the session embraced the gene drive technology as a realistic option for malaria control. The session, in its decision, requested the African Union Commission (AUC), West African Health Organization (WAHO) and African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) to collectively support the initiative.
In 2018, through recommendations of the African ministers responsible for science and technology EX.CL/Dec. 987(XXXII), the Executive Council of the African Union encouraged member states to harness emerging technologies, including gene drive, in their development initiatives.
The decisions above have offered solid policy statements for the continent regarding gene drives for human health purposes, which have impacted discussions in AU member states, and ECOWAS is leading in the implementation of the policy. It is a basis for a harmonised approach for Africa in the development of policy regulations and guidelines such as this to facilitate the responsible and safe application of the technologies for research and subsequent deployment on the continent.
Considering the significance of these diseases, the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) has agreed on the establishment of a West Africa- Integrated Vector Management (WA-IVM) Programme. The purpose of this programme is to establish and operationalise a platform for the region to build strong collaborations among member countries on issues relevant to effective control of the vectors. Some of the key elements being considered include biosafety, environment, ethics, and regulatory oversight and health systems. The WA-IVM platform also aims to equip and capacitate the region with innovative technologies and new approaches for controlling the mosquito vectors. Considering that malaria is the most important vector-borne disease in sub-Saharan Africa, the WA-IVM Programme will use malaria as a pathfinder disease for developing its platform activities. This specific guideline is focused on mosquitoes that transmit malaria.
The advent of gene drives has brought new hope and opportunities for accelerating efforts towards malaria eradication. Gene drives can stimulate biased inheritance of specific genes to suppress or alter populations of select organisms, including mosquitoes. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that the technique could be applied to prevent mosquitoes from transmitting the malaria parasite or to significantly suppress the mosquito populations (2, 3). In addition, mathematical simulations have shown that other than certain concerns such as the potential rise of drive-resistant alleles, the desired genetic constructs could be rapidly driven through large mosquito populations across landscapes, thereby contributing significantly to sustainable malaria control and eradication, especially if used alongside current interventions (4). Such an approach would require lower levels of human resources, marginal logistical challenges and lower costs, thus potentially being more cost-effective even in locations currently considered remote.
To ensure the appropriate review and oversight of this new technology in West Africa, the AUDA-NEPAD Agency, in collaboration with ECOWAS, have initiated the development of guidelines to cover the different components necessary to safely use the genetically modified mosquitoes technology.
This specific guideline focuses on containment facilities and containment processes relevant to genetically modified mosquitoes.