As the doses are distributed throughout Africa, Cameroon will be the first nation to regularly administer the new malaria vaccine to children.
Officials praised the campaign, which is set to begin on Monday, as a significant step in the decades-long fight to stop the malaria epidemic caused by mosquitoes on the continent, which is responsible for 95% of malaria deaths worldwide.
The immunization will prevent fatalities. Families and the nation’s healthcare system would benefit greatly from it, according to Aurelia Nguyen, chief program officer of the Gavi Vaccines Alliance, which is assisting Cameroon in obtaining the injections.
The country in Central Africa intends to immunize roughly 250,000 kids this year and the following year. Gavi stated that it is collaborating with twenty additional African nations to assist them in obtaining the vaccine, with the aim of immunizing over six million children by the year 2025.
Approximately 250 million instances of the parasitic disease, especially in young children, are reported in Africa each year. Of these cases, 600,000 result in death.
Mosquirix, the first of two newly licensed malaria vaccines, will be used in Cameroon. Two years ago, the World Health Organization approved the vaccine, noting that despite its flaws, its usage would significantly lower hospital admissions and serious illnesses.
The vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline is only around 30% effective, needs four doses, and after many months, the protection starts to wane. Three nations conducted trial programs with the vaccine after it was tested in Africa.
Though some experts think a second malaria vaccine produced by Oxford University and authorized by WHO in October would be a more workable answer, GSK has stated that it can only produce approximately 15 million doses of Mosquirix annually. The vaccine is less expensive, needs three doses, and, according to India’s Serum Institute, may produce up to 200 million doses annually.
According to Nguyen of Gavi, they were hoping that enough Oxford vaccinations would be available to start immunizing individuals later this year.
Since neither vaccination can stop the spread of malaria, other measures like bed nets and insecticidal spraying will remain essential. The malaria parasite can produce symptoms like fever, headaches, and chills and is primarily transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes.