In a historic development, the rollout of the world’s inaugural malaria vaccine commenced in Cameroon on Monday, marking a transformative chapter in Africa’s public health history.
The RTS,S vaccine, totaling 662,000 doses, will be administered to children in Cameroon, becoming the first country to implement the vaccine following successful trials in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi between 2019 and 2021. This initiative represents a significant escalation in the battle against malaria in Africa, where 95% of the disease-related deaths occur, primarily affecting children under the age of five.
Dr. Mohammed Abdulaziz, the division head at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, described the event as a “transformative chapter” and emphasized its potential to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with malaria. Public health experts stress the importance of effective communication with the public to build trust, ensure the completion of all four vaccine doses, and convey the vaccine’s optimal efficacy when combined with other preventive measures like insecticide-treated bed nets.
Kate O’Brien, the director of the WHO’s immunizations and vaccines department, highlighted that based on trial data, the RTS,S vaccine, also known as Mosquirix, is expected to save tens of thousands of lives. Nineteen other African countries plan to introduce the vaccine this year, with the goal of reaching 6.6 million children. Deliveries are scheduled for Burkina Faso, Liberia, Niger, and Sierra Leone.
In Cameroon, anticipation has been building since the vaccines arrived in November. Community engagement initiatives by organizations like Value Health Africa have played a crucial role in addressing concerns, ensuring understanding, and minimizing potential hesitancy. Families in Douala, such as Dani Widal’s, expressed hope that the vaccine would protect their children from malaria, a disease that has significant health and financial implications.
The introduction of the malaria vaccine is a monumental achievement after over 35 years of dedicated work by GlaxoSmithKline and its partners. Thomas Breuer, the chief global health officer at GSK, highlighted the rewarding moment and expressed excitement about more malaria-endemic countries preparing to introduce the vaccine in the coming months. Additionally, a second malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, developed by the University of Oxford, is expected to roll out later this year, further contributing to malaria prevention efforts.
