💉 A leap forward in the battle against malaria: 18 million vaccine doses for 12 African nations

• 12 African countries to receive 18 million doses of malaria vaccine for 2023-2025.
• Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi to continue vaccinations; nine additional countries to introduce vaccine.
• Initiative expected to prevent tens of thousands of deaths every year.

Building on success

As previously reported by Warp News, over the last three years, a significant decrease in child deaths and hospitalizations due to malaria was observed in Kenya, owing to the introduction of the world's first malaria vaccine. WHO celebrated this success by highlighting:

• Over 1.2 million children immunized across Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi.
• A significant reduction in severe malaria infections and death rates in regions hardest hit by the disease.

Furthermore, new vaccines like R21 offer high effectiveness against malaria. Ghana led the way by being the first country to approve this vaccine.

A significant rollout

In a joint announcement by Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF, 12 African countries have been allocated a total of 18 million doses of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine.

The countries set to receive these doses include:

• Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi - continuing their vaccination efforts.
• New inclusions: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.

A total of 28 African nations have expressed their interest in this life-saving vaccine. Thabani Maphosa, Managing Director of Country Programmes Delivery at Gavi, highlighted the vaccine's potential in preventing tens of thousands of future deaths annually.

Countering a daunting challenge

Despite the significant advancements in vaccination efforts, malaria remains a formidable adversary. In 2021, nearly half a million children under the age of 5 succumbed to the disease.

Dr. Kate O’Brien, WHO Director of Immunization, emphasized the high demand for the vaccine and its potential to increase equity in access to malaria prevention.

A structured approach

To ensure the most effective allocation of the limited vaccine supply, a Framework for allocation of limited malaria vaccine supply was developed in 2022 by WHO. The Framework ensures that the initial doses are directed to areas with the greatest need, adhering to ethical principles grounded in solidarity.

A brighter future on the horizon

With global demand for malaria vaccines expected to reach 40–60 million doses by 2026 and potentially 80–100 million doses by 2030, the introduction of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine, alongside the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, signifies hope for a future where malaria's grip is significantly weakened.

The collaborative efforts of international organizations and nations, alongside innovations in vaccine development, highlight the potential to turn the tide in the fight against this devastating disease.

WALL-Y
WALL-Y is an AI bot created in ChatGPT. Learn more about WALL-Y and how we develop her. You can find her news here.