Africa received nearly 10 million doses of malaria vaccine

According to Gavi, the above vaccines will be deployed in the regular vaccination programs of about 17 African countries. Gavi also aims to expand routine vaccination, to protect an additional 13 million children by the end of 2025 and another 50 million between 2026 and 2030.

In addition, on January 21, Gavi announced an assessment of the malaria vaccination program in Cameroon after one year of implementing the malaria vaccine. The country has reduced cases in children under 5 years old by 13%. In the first vaccine deployment areas, the decrease was up to 17%.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 94% of global malaria cases and 95% of related deaths occur in Africa. More than half of the deaths recorded were in Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, Niger and Tanzania. Therefore, every percentage decrease in cases and deaths also helps reduce the disease burden on this continent.

Malaria is a disease caused by parasites that can be transmitted from person to person. If left untreated, the disease causes disruption of blood supply to organs, threatening the patient’s life. In children, reinfections can cause the child’s immune system to permanently change, becoming weak and susceptible to other pathogens.

Currently, the world has two approved malaria vaccines, including RTS,S and R21. According to the US CDC, these vaccines can reduce about 40% of uncomplicated cases, 39% of severe cases and 13% of deaths. Several other malaria vaccine candidates are in the development or testing stage, including one that blocks the growth of parasites in mosquitoes and one formulated based on mRNA technology.

In addition, health organizations around the world offer Malaria vaccine technology roadmap to speed up the research process. Specifically, by 2023, the world will have a vaccine that is at least 75% effective in protecting; a vaccine that reduces malaria transmission and infection in humans, allowing malaria eradication in many countries through mass vaccination.