AFRICA: Malaria jab rollout delivers 10 million doses

Nearly 10 million malaria vaccine doses were delivered to Africa during the first year of routine immunisation being rolled out across the continent, the Gavi vaccine alliance said Wednesday. The mosquito-borne disease kills nearly 600,000 people a year, the vast majority in Africa, with children heavily affected, according to the World Health Organization. In a […]

Nearly 10 million malaria vaccine doses were delivered to Africa during the first year of routine immunisation being rolled out across the continent, the Gavi vaccine alliance said Wednesday.

The mosquito-borne disease kills nearly 600,000 people a year, the vast majority in Africa, with children heavily affected, according to the World Health Organization.

In a pilot phase from 2019 to 2023, more than two million children were jabbed with the RTS,S vaccine in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, resulting in substantial reductions in severe malaria illness and hospitalisations.

Following the pilot, routine malaria vaccination was rolled out in those three countries and 14 others, starting in Cameroon in January 2024.

• Be wary of fleeing bandits, Sokoto Govt alerts residents
• Ekiti airport is 99.5% ready for full operations – Keyamo

Gavi said more than 9.8 million doses had since been delivered, estimating that five million children have received a degree of protection.