The Gates Foundation has dismissed as false and misleading claims circulating on social media alleging that it operates a laboratory in Nairobi and releases mosquitoes into the city.
In a statement issued on Monday, February 9, the foundation said it was aware of the viral reports and firmly rejected the allegations.
“The Gates Foundation does not release mosquitoes, operate laboratories that do so, or run vector-control activities in Nairobi or anywhere else,” the organisation said.
The foundation clarified that malaria prevention and control activities in Kenya are led by the government, with the foundation only supporting government-defined priorities.
It added that its support is provided openly and responsibly through established partnerships with public health institutions, researchers and other stakeholders.
The statement followed a wave of online posts claiming that genetically modified mosquitoes had been released from a Nairobi-based laboratory linked to the foundation. The posts further alleged that the insects were biting residents and causing harm, especially to children and the elderly.
While dismissing these claims, the foundation explained that it supports research efforts aimed at eliminating malaria through advanced scientific approaches, including gene drive technology.
According to the foundation, gene drive is part of a broader group of genetically based vector control tools that scientists are exploring to help reduce the spread of malaria. The technology works by altering the genes of malaria-carrying mosquitoes so that they are either unable to transmit the disease or their populations decline over time. The approach is designed to target only malaria-transmitting mosquito species, without affecting other insects.
The Gates Foundation said it supports this research because malaria continues to claim nearly 600,000 lives every year, the majority of them African children. Although existing interventions such as bed nets and medicines have saved millions of lives, the foundation noted that these tools alone are not sufficient to fully eliminate the disease.
It also stressed that local communities and key stakeholders are normally involved in decision-making around new public health interventions. The foundation said it works closely with African institutions to ensure strong community engagement when researching genetically modified vector control tools, including gene drive.
The foundation further revealed that research it has funded has previously conducted experimental releases of male mosquitoes in Burkina Faso since 2019. However, the Burkina Faso government suspended the project in August 2025 over safety and environmental concerns.
In Kenya, the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), working in partnership with Imperial College London, has plans to introduce genetically modified mosquitoes as part of efforts to reduce malaria-transmitting mosquito populations.
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