Hope spreads as 18 million doses of first malaria vaccine allocated to 12 African countries

In 2004, Irene Mideva of Vihiga County in western Kenya lost her two children within three months. In both cases, the cause of death was malaria, a mosquito-borne parasitic infection. 1.8 million Estimated with people around the world that year 619,000 People in 2021.

The majority of malaria deaths occur among African children under the age of five. Vihiga County is part of the so-called “endemic lake area” (the moist, mosquito-infested area surrounding Lake Victoria) and has historically been an unusually high threat of malaria. “Previously, most hospital beds in the county were full of patients, most of whom were suffering from malaria,” recalls health worker Janet Atieno.

The vaccine is so widely deployed and successfully used that it is expected to prevent tens of thousands of deaths each year.

However, its risk profile is World’s first malaria vaccine Started deployment here as part of pilot program “Since the introduction of vaccination, malaria hospitalizations have decreased significantly, especially among children in the region,” Atieno said.

“Malaria prevalence has declined from 27% in 2015 to 19% in 2020, especially in endemic areas of the lake, demonstrating that our efforts in malaria prevention and control are paying off. ‘ admitted Dr. Patrick Amos, Acting Director General of Health. March.

Mideva was greeted with a mix of hope and regret as he spoke at an event marking the expansion of Kenya’s malaria vaccination campaign to 25 more sub-counties in the lake-endemic area. , Mideva thought about losing her malaria vaccination. Nearly 20 years ago. “I wish the malaria vaccine had been introduced then,” she says. “I think their young lives could have been saved.”

Mideva, now a mother of four children, decided that her surviving children should benefit from the RTS,S/AS01 injection. “We will ensure all children complete her four doses as recommended by health authorities.”

next announcement Gabi, UNICEF and WHO said this week that a breakthrough malaria vaccine will be incorporated into routine immunization programmes, allowing families in Kenya as well as 12 African countries (three pilots and nine more) to reach the same life-threatening revolution. vaccine will be accessible. first time.

The 18 million doses allocated in this initial bolus are expected to begin arriving in countries in the final quarter of this year, with deployment expected to begin in early 2024.

The first tranche of this highly popular RTS, S/AS01 vaccine has been allocated following a two-phase plan. principleFirst, vaccines should be sent where the risks are most acute, and second, where the health system can best ensure an effective supply of vaccines.

“While we… Work with manufacturers to increase supplyWe need to make sure that the doses we have are used as effectively as possible. This means applying all the learnings from the pilot program as we expand to a total of 12 new countries. ” Said Tabani Maposa, Managing Director of Country Program Delivery at Gavi, said:

the vaccine is safe and effective Against Plasmodium falciparum It is the world’s most dangerous malaria parasite, responsible for more than 90% of deaths from the disease each year.As The world’s first protective antiparasitic vaccineRTS,S was a scientific breakthrough even before it was deployed.

But it’s not a perfect shield. Data from a phase 3 clinical trial show that when the vaccine is administered to children aged 5–17 months at the first dose, 36% decrease in clinical cases. When administered in 4 divided doses at 6 months, 7 months, 9 months, and 2 years, Estimate 1 life can be saved for every 200 children vaccinated.

This means that for a vaccine to realize its world-changing potential, it must be deployed at scale in conjunction with other antimalarial interventions. Dr Dean Omar, Head of Kenya’s National Malaria Program Division, said, “We recognize the fact that a malaria vaccine, together with a combination of tools such as long-lasting insecticide treatment nets, indoor residual sprays and malaria chemoprevention strategies, is needed. I am aware of it,” he explained. to fight malaria. “

Kenya has so far administered more than 1.1 million doses of vaccine to nearly 400,000 children under the age of five, covering more than 134,000 children annually in lake-endemic areas. Dr Lucy Mecca, National Vaccine Officer at the Ministry of Health, said: “By working with other countries to apply for support from Gavi for the domestic use of vaccines in areas where they are most needed, we will continue to do so beyond 2023. We will continue to expand vaccine availability.” Immunization at a media breakfast in Nairobi in March.

The vaccine is so widely deployed and successfully used that it is expected to prevent tens of thousands of deaths each year. Demand for malaria vaccine is estimated to reach 40-60 million doses by 2026, rising to 100 million doses per year by 2030.