Nigeria has been exempted from the list of 12 African countries set to receive the 18 million doses of the first-ever malaria vaccine. In a joint press statement, the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced that 12 African countries will soon receive 18 million doses of the first-ever malaria vaccine. However, it is important to note that Nigeria has been excluded from this list, a decision that has garnered significant attention.
According to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “malaria remains one of Africa’s deadliest diseases, claiming the lives of nearly half a million children under the age of five annually. This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for effective prevention and treatment strategies.
Developed by the British pharmaceutical giant GSK, the Mosquirix (RTS,S) vaccine has already been administered to over 1.7 million children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi as part of a successful pilot program. Clinical trials have demonstrated the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, resulting in a substantial reduction in severe malaria cases and a decline in child deaths. The positive outcomes observed during the pilot program have paved the way for the vaccine’s expansion to other countries.
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Apart from the three test countries, nine additional African nations have been identified to benefit from the supply of the Mosquirix vaccine.
These countries include Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. The distribution of vaccines is anticipated to commence in early 2024, with the first shipments expected to arrive in the final quarter of 2023.
In addition to the Mosquirix vaccine, a second malaria vaccine known as the R21/Matrix-M, developed by Oxford University and produced by the Serum Institute in India (SII), is currently undergoing review for pre-qualification by the WHO.
This stringent evaluation process ensures that health products intended for low-income countries meet the necessary safety and effectiveness standards. The potential approval of this vaccine signifies a significant milestone in the fight against malaria.
Kate O’Brien, the Director of the WHO’s immunization and vaccines division, emphasized the crucial role of vaccines in combatting malaria. She stressed that every minute, a child loses their life to this devastating disease. Vaccines act as an additional tool in the fight against severe malaria and its associated fatalities, representing a crucial step forward in malaria prevention efforts.
The WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi project a substantial increase in global demand for malaria vaccines in the coming years. By 2026, an estimated 40-60 million doses will be required annually, and by 2030, this number is expected to rise to 80-100 million doses per year.
This forecast underscores the growing recognition of vaccines as a fundamental component of comprehensive malaria control strategies. Tragically, Africa bore the brunt of malaria’s devastating toll in 2021, accounting for 96% of the world’s malaria-related fatalities.
