Nigeria has officially rolled out the new Oxford R21 malaria vaccine, which will be provided free of charge, marking a key step in the nation’s fight against malaria, the health minister announced on Thursday.
This launch positions Nigeria among the first countries to support the R21 vaccine, developed by Oxford University scientists and produced by the Serum Institute of India in collaboration with Novavax.
The country’s medicines regulator provisionally approved the vaccine in April last year. According to Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria has received an initial shipment of 846,200 doses through a partnership with global health organizations Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF. Another 153,800 doses are expected by October 26, bringing the total to 1 million.
While the supply is currently limited, Pate urged Nigerians to take advantage of the free vaccine, especially for children, to protect them from the life-threatening disease. The rollout will begin in two pilot states, Kebbi and Bayelsa, before expanding nationwide.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, claims over 600,000 lives annually, with African infants and children being the most vulnerable. Nigeria, as the world’s hardest-hit country, accounts for 31% of global malaria deaths, according to a 2023 World Health Organization report.
