World Health Organisation said that one million children in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi have now received one or more doses of the world’s first malaria vaccine, through a programme it piloted.
The malaria vaccine pilots, first launched by the Government of Malawi in April 2019, have shown the vaccine to be safe and feasible to deliver, and that it substantially reduces deadly severe malaria.
If widely deployed, WHO in a statement, estimated that the vaccine could save the lives of an additional 40,000 to 80,000 children each year.
This vaccine is not just a scientific breakthrough, it’s life-changing for families across Africa. It demonstrates the power of science and innovation for health.
WHO Director-General said, there is an urgent need to develop more and better tools to save lives and drive progress towards a malaria-free world.
The UN health agency stated that more than 155 million dollars had been secured from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to support the introduction, procurement and delivery of the malaria vaccine for Gavi-eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa.