S11E1 - Moussa Savadogo - Regulating genetic-based vector control towards malaria elimination in Africa

Regulating genetic-based vector control towards malaria elimination in Africa: Key considerations, challenges and opportunities

Zoom | Genetic-based approaches offer promising solutions for malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Clear regulations and public acceptance are essential for their success.

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Moussa Savadogo, PhD

Senior Research Fellow at the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) | Profile Dr. Moussa Savadogo is an environmental biosafety expert from Burkina Faso with extensive experience in regulatory capacity building and stakeholder engagement. He served for 15 years as a Principal Programme Officer at the African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), where he led the environmental component of regulatory capacity building in Agricultural Biotechnology (ABNE) and Integrated Vector Management (IVM). After retiring from AUDA-NEPAD, Dr. Savadogo continued to support the organization as a Technical Consultant with WITS Health Consortium (Pty) Ltd in Johannesburg. In this role, he contributed to building regulatory capacity and engaging high-level stakeholders on genetically based vector control strategies aimed at eliminating malaria and other vector-borne diseases. Dr. Savadogo recently joined the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) as a Senior Research Fellow. In this capacity, he provides policy advisory services to African Union Member States on innovative vector control strategies, including gene drives for malaria elimination and Wolbachia endosymbiont mosquitoes for dengue control. Earlier in his career, Dr. Savadogo worked as a scientist at Burkina Faso’s National Centre of Research and Technology (CNRST) and as a regulator at the National Biosafety Agency (ANB). His career reflects a commitment to advancing biosafety and sustainable solutions for pressing public health challenges in Africa.

Abstract

Malaria continues to be the most devastating disease in sub-Saharan Africa, where a child dies from the infection every one to two minutes. According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Malaria Report, progress has alarmingly stalled in the WHO African Region, which accounts for approximately 95% of global malaria morbidity and mortality. It is increasingly evident that no single strategy will suffice to eliminate malaria by 2030, as outlined in the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016–2030 (GTS). Contributing factors—such as mosquito resistance to insecticides, parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs, shifting mosquito behaviors, global warming, armed conflicts, and inadequate funding—compound the challenge. Additionally, dengue cases continue to rise. In response, there is an urgent need to explore innovative tools, including genetically modified mosquitoes equipped with engineered gene drives, as recommended by the African Union High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET). Though progress is underway in several African countries, significant ethical and environmental concerns persist. A favorable regulatory environment is therefore critical to enable responsible research and development of these tools. Key enabling factors include (i) strong political commitment at national and regional levels, (ii) functional regulatory systems, (iii) strengthened health research capacities, (iv) public acceptance of genetic-based technologies, and (v) enhanced regional and multilateral collaboratio