The World Mosquito Program: re:defining possible through our Wolbachia Method
World Mosquito Program
Your questions answered
With growing global interest in mosquito-borne disease prevention, here are the questions people ask us most about our method and our organisation.
Is the World Mosquito Program funded by Bill Gates?
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided grant funding to the World Mosquito Program over a number of years, as one of many funders supporting our work. That funding relationship has now concluded. The Gates Foundation no longer funds WMP projects.
The Gates Foundation had no role in the scientific direction, operational decisions, or governance of WMP. The World Mosquito Program is owned by Monash University and operates as an independent not-for-profit. Decisions about where we work, how we work, and who we partner with are made entirely by WMP and Monash University.
WMP is currently funded through a diverse mix of governments, philanthropies such as Wellcome Trust, and local partners.
Is WMP still releasing mosquitoes in Medellín, Colombia?
No. City-wide Wolbachia deployments between 2017 and 2024 in Bello, Medellín and Itagüi, protecting more than 3.5 million people, resulted in marked reductions in dengue incidence and sustained protection. These included dramatic drops of 91.9% in Bello and 92.1% in Itagüi, even during the severe 2024 national outbreak.
The Wolbachia bacteria is now self-sustaining in the local mosquito population - which is exactly the goal of our method: a one-time intervention that maintains itself indefinitely without the need for continued releases. WMP continues to monitor outcomes there, but large-scale production and releases have concluded.
Posts on social media claiming the Medellín facility is still mass-producing and releasing mosquitoes are based on outdated information. Our major mosquito facility in Medellín closed in 2024.
Does WMP's approach involve genetically modified organisms?
No. Our method does not involve the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO). GMO technology is defined as the use of particular procedures to alter the natural composition of an animal or plant's DNA. Our method is not genetic modification, as the genetic material of the mosquito has not been altered.
Neither the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes nor the Wolbachia have been genetically modified in the lab, and the strain of Wolbachia we are using is naturally occurring. None of the governments in the 16 countries where Wolbachia mosquitoes have been released have considered this to be a GMO technology.
How is WMP different from GMO or sterile mosquito programmes like those in the US?
The approaches are fundamentally different. Some programmes - including those involving genetically modified mosquitoes or the Sterile Insect Technique - aim to suppress or eliminate mosquito populations. They require continuous, large-scale releases of male mosquitoes to maintain their effect.
WMP's method works differently. We release both male and female mosquitoes carrying naturally occurring Wolbachia bacteria for a defined period. These mosquitoes breed with the wild population until, over 6-12 months, Wolbachia is established throughout the local mosquito population. Once established, Wolbachia is self-sustaining - no ongoing releases are needed. Our method does not involve any genetic modification.
Our approach has been independently evaluated and has demonstrated a 77 per cent reduction in dengue cases in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 89% in Niterói, Brazil, and by more than 90 per cent in Medellín, Colombia.
More questions?
Our full FAQ page covers everything from mosquito biology and safety data to community engagement and how our method compares to others.
re:define possible
We’ve become a trusted ally - built upon decades of experience - working closely as partners with communities across the globe. As climate change accelerates mosquito-borne diseases, our nature-based Wolbachia method provides lasting protection from dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Smart. Safe. Self-sustaining.
re:invest in public
health partnership
Mosquito-borne outbreaks are unpredictable, and reactive response systems are costly, slow, and often too late. The World Mosquito Program (WMP) offers a safe, scientifically proven and cost-effective alternative already successfully deployed in 15 countries worldwide. As a long-term partner in national diseases prevention strategy, our aim is to reduce future government costs and build durable public health resilience through effective national strategies.
re:place
fear with protection
Not a treatment. A shift. We’re setting change in motion with nature that heals itself. We want to reaffirm confidence in public health care and build something together. We invite communities to learn from trusted local voices, ask questions, and explore how this could work in their own setting as co-creators and stewards of the future of public health.
re:write
the global health story
Mosquito-borne diseases are a growing global crisis, but still largely underfunded and under-recognised. Imagine a prevention model that spreads naturally, protects entire regions, and keeps working long after you give. Your donation can help fund a paradigm shift, not just another intervention. This is a rare chance to fund a scientific breakthrough already showing results and redefining global health.
From single sites to national scale:
Our 2024 Annual Review
The numbers speak for themselves. 13.5 million people protected across 14 countries. More than 1 million dengue cases prevented. $331 million in healthcare costs saved.
This isn't a pilot. It's a turning point.
Now showing
releasing hope
Releasing Hope is a wordless animation following a young girl's battle against the spectre of mosquito-borne disease, a threat that affects hundreds of millions of people every year. The film captures the power of our Wolbachia method and how it can change lives. We hope it inspires audiences and brings global attention to what is possible when science and community come together.
Stories from the field
re:define
what prevention looks like
Years of study. One breakthrough changed everything. When we rethink prevention, we redefine possible, with a solution that outlasts funding cycles. Our one-time, cost-effective investment drives long-term measurable results. The world is changing: It’s time disease prevention did too.
