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.

July 6, 2023
16:39

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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