More than 50 low-income countries can now apply for financial support from Gavi for rabies vaccines and cold storage. North and South America have reduced rabies cases by over 95 percent through dog vaccination.
The Covid vaccine saved an estimated 20 million lives globally during the first year the vaccine was available. Data shows that mortality was significantly higher among unvaccinated individuals, particularly during virus outbreaks. At least 25 million people died in the pandemic.
Sudan starts malaria vaccination, with 186,000 doses reaching 148,000 children under one year. The vaccine will be administered in 15 areas in the Gedaref and Blue Nile states, with plans to expand to 129 areas during 2025-2026. Sudan has high prevalence with over 3.4 million cases during 2023.
Clinical trials of an mRNA vaccine against lung cancer have begun in seven countries. The vaccine is designed to treat non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of the disease. Approximately 130 patients will participate in the study and receive the vaccine along with immunotherapy.
Ivory Coast introduces new effective malaria vaccine. The vaccine is expected to save tens of thousands of children's lives each year. 15 African countries plan vaccination campaigns during 2024.
The world has made significant progress in the fight against polio, reducing the number of cases by a hundredfold since the 1980s. Two of the three serotypes of wild poliovirus have been eradicated. New vaccines and improvements in sanitation and testing will help us overcome the last obstacles.
Benin, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have started vaccinating children against malaria. The vaccine has shown a significant reduction in malaria diseases and child mortality in initial African pilot programs.
Vaccines have prevented 154 million deaths since 1974, of which 146 million were children. Thus, vaccines account for 40 percent of the reduction in child mortality.
New vaccines against malaria are hailed as one of the most important scientific advances. The vaccines Mosquirix and R21 reduce both the prevalence and mortality of malaria.