First Malaria Vaccine Used in Cameroon After Successful Pilot in Ghana – Hopeful Results and Next Steps

AFPEA baby is vaccinated with the malaria vaccine during a pilot in Ghana

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 14:05

Cameroon is the first country in the world to officially use the Mosquirix malaria vaccine. A shipment of more than 331,000 doses arrived yesterday at the airport in the capital Yaoundé. The vaccine was previously tested on children in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi for four years. The results were positive.

The vaccines will go to 42 of the 203 health centers in the country. The first shots are expected to be administered at the end of December or early next year.

The Minister of Health is happy with the vaccine. “We are losing many compatriots who are dying as a result of this disease,” he told Reuters. The vaccine is only an addition to the “arsenal of measures that are already in place.” It will now mainly be used for young children.

Still deadly

According to the World Health Organization WHO, malaria is still one of the deadliest diseases in Africa. At least 600,000 people succumb to it every year. The vast majority of victims are younger than 5 years old.

Malaria fighters are also very concerned about the spread of the mosquito in cities, as happened early last year in the Ethiopian city of Dire Dawa. Normally the disease mainly affects rural areas. This outbreak also occurred in the dry season, while malaria usually spreads in the rainy season.

Hopeful results

The Mosquirix vaccine, developed by British manufacturer GSK Plc, will be further rolled out next year in a further nine countries where malaria occurs.

According to Dutch malaria researcher Teun Bousema, the results of vaccines are hopeful, he told NOS two and a half weeks ago. However, they are far from perfect: they require multiple injections and so far have only been aimed at children. But, says Bousema, vaccines also save children’s lives. In the areas where Mosquirix was tested, infant mortality fell by 13 percent.

In the meantime, a second vaccine has also been approved by the WHO, made by the British University of Oxford. This vaccine is said to be even more effective and cheaper and will be available in mid-2024.

2023-11-22 13:05:50
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