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18M malaria vaccine dose to arrive in Africa by 2025

Nairobi, Jul 6 (Prensa Latina) Twelve countries across different regions in Africa are set to receive 18 million doses of the first-ever malaria vaccine over the next two years. The roll out is a critical step forward to fight off one of the leading causes of death in the continent.

However, initial batches are due to arrive in several African countries in the last quarter of this year, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the press in Geneva, Switzerland.

Malaria remains one of Africa’s deadliest diseases, killing nearly half a million children each year under the age of 5, and accounting for approximately 95% of global malaria cases and 96% of deaths in 2021.

The vaccine was applied in a pilot plan to around 1.7 million children in three African countries: Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, Dr. Ghebreyesus stated. The drug proved to be safe and effective, and resulted in a substantial reduction of severe malaria cases and a decrease in child deaths.

In addition to the three previous countries, nine others will soon be ready to receive the new vaccine: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone and Uganda, he added.

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