Cameroon has launched the world's first routine vaccine programme against malaria, a mosquito-borne disease that kills nearly half a million children under five each year in Africa.
The World Health Organization (WHO)-approved RTS,S vaccine, developed by British drugmaker GSK, is meant to work alongside existing tools like bed nets to combat malaria. After successful trials in Ghana and Kenya, Cameroon is the first country to administer doses through a routine immunisation programme that 19 other nations aim to roll out this year, according to global vaccine alliance Gavi. Around 6.6 million children in these countries are targeted for malaria vaccination through 2024-25.
The urgency of the fight against malaria is apparent, as disruptions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, rising insecticide resistance, and other issues have hindered the fight against the disease. Over 30 countries on the continent have expressed interest in introducing the vaccine, and fears of a supply squeeze have eased since a second vaccine completed a critical regulatory step in December. The R21 vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford, could be launched in May or June. Health experts at the briefing emphasized the importance of using all protective measures alongside the vaccines.
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