Africa is likely to experience a surge in malaria cases due to climate change and the emergence of new mosquito species that bite during the day, health experts have warned.

Speaking in Bagamoyo, Tanzania, during a meeting organised by the Ifakara Health Institute, Fredros Okumu, a public health researcher and professor of Vector Biology at the University of Glasgow, warned that climate change had already begun to heighten malaria cases in Africa, and urgent action is needed.

“Warmer temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and increasing humidity are expanding malaria transmission zones, putting previously low-risk regions such as highland areas at greater risk,” he explained.

In Malawi, for example, according to Lumbani Munthali, programme manager of the National Malaria Control Programme, the country experienced a surge in malaria cases following the impact of Cyclone Freddy two years ago in 2023.

The cyclone caused widespread flooding, which created favourable breeding conditions for mosquitoes, leading to an alarming increase in malaria transmission.

Favourable conditions

This surge in malaria cases in Malawi is not an isolated incident. Across the African continent, climate change is creating more conducive conditions for the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria. Rising temperatures, increased rainfall and more frequent extreme weather events, are all contributing to the expansion of mosquito habitats, putting more people at risk.

“We have been giving control interventions but we must do more. Relying on the current interventions, we will not be able to meet the Sustainable Developments Goal (SDGs) 2030 because of other emerging issues and climate change is one of these issues,” Munthali noted.

According to Okumu, though some countries have started to deploy new generation bed nets as traditional nets have become ineffective because of resistance and introduction of malaria vaccine, new interventions are needed. Otherwise the continent could face a major public health crisis, with higher transmission rates, reduced effectiveness of existing prevention measures and increased strain on healthcare systems.

If the continent wants to fight this menace, Munthali says, there is need to adopt newer technologies that have shown potential, such as gene drive technology, to complement the already available interventions, because traditional control methods are becoming less effective due to insecticide resistance.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), gene drive is a genetic engineering technology that promotes the preferential inheritance of a particular gene, allowing it to spread rapidly through a population. This mechanism increases the likelihood that a specific trait will be passed on to subsequent generations

The technology offers a promising solution by genetically modifying mosquito populations to either reduce their ability to transmit malaria or suppress their numbers altogether.

New interventions

Munthali emphasised that integrating this technology with existing interventions could provide a more sustainable and long-term strategy to curb malaria transmission and protect vulnerable populations.

“Doing the same thing is not working because most available interventions are only effective for up to two years. This is why we need new interventions especially long-term interventions and gene drive technology is one of these interventions,” adds Munthali.

According to Edward Okonjo, a medical parasitologist, research into gene drive technology is already underway, but all current research efforts are still at the laboratory stage. Researchers are focused on understanding how gene drive technology can be effectively implemented, ensuring that it can be used safely and sustainably in real-world environments.

“All that needs to be done is to ensure that this technology is tailored to country-specific needs, prioritise safety, and build on the progress achieved in malaria control to date. It should meet country-specific needs,” says Okonjo.

However, he noted that successful implementation would require robust regulatory frameworks, public engagement, and cross-sector collaboration to ensure safety and effectiveness.