Scientists fighting the spread of infectious diseases on the continent have been targeted online by pro-Russian activists, part of an effort to spread fear and mistrust of the West.
The scientists sifting through thousands of genetically modified mosquito larvae in a laboratory in Burkina Faso were trying to stop the spread of malaria, one of the biggest killers on the African continent.
But in the pro-Russian propaganda telling of their work, the scientists, helped by funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, were not protecting local people against malaria, they were infecting them.
“Since these mosquitoes have arrived in Burkina, we’ve noticed an increase of malaria and dengue fever,” Egountchi Behanzin, a French-Togolese activist who often posts pro-Russian content, said in an interview.
Mr. Behanzin could not cite any scientific evidence, and researchers say there are no grounds for such a claim. But his anti-Western messages, and his praise for Russia in Africa, are shared daily among his more than 600,000 followers on social media.
His posts are seen as only one element in a recent pro-Russian disinformation operation that is targeting U.S.-funded health care programs in Africa. The attacks come at a time when ambitious initiatives and vaccines are being rolled out on a continent shaken by several epidemics, including a deadly outbreak of mpox.
The apparent aim is to undermine public trust and bolster Russia’s steady attempt to weaken Western interests in Africa, according to U.S. and European officials.
By The New York Times
