Africa delivers 10 million malaria vaccine doses in one year

Nearly 10 million malaria vaccine doses were distributed across Africa in the first year of routine immunization, Gavi announced Wednesday.

The mosquito-borne disease claims nearly 600,000 lives annually, with the majority of victims in Africa, particularly children, the WHO reports.

From 2019 to 2023, a pilot program in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi vaccinated over two million children with the RTS,S vaccine.

This initiative led to significant reductions in severe malaria cases, hospitalizations, and a 13% drop in child mortality, the WHO confirmed.

Following the pilot’s success, routine malaria vaccinations began in Cameroon in January 2024, expanding to 14 additional countries.

Gavi revealed that 9.8 million doses have been administered, providing protection to five million children across the continent.

Each child receives four vaccine doses, focusing on high-risk areas, with promising results reported in Cameroon, Gavi stated.

“In Cameroon, where malaria claims over 13,000 lives annually, every percentage drop in cases transforms countless lives,” said Gavi chief Sania Nishtar.

Africa bears the brunt of malaria, accounting for 94% of global cases and 95% of deaths, the WHO emphasized.

In 2023, reported malaria cases rose to 263 million from 252 million in 2022, though deaths slightly declined to 597,000.

Over half of the deaths occurred in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Tanzania, with children under five being the most affected.

Gavi aims to expand to eight more countries in 2024, potentially protecting an additional 13 million children.

From 2026 to 2030, Gavi plans to shield 50 million more children with this life-saving vaccine.

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