By Joyce Remi- Babayeju- with agency report
The World Health Organization, WHO, is currently basking in the euphoria of groundbreaking malaria vaccines RTS,S/ASO1 potent to revingorate the fight against deadly malaria fever in children.
Shortly after the debut of the malaria vaccine, WHO recommended widespread use of the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.
According to the global health agency, the recommendation is based on results from an ongoing pilot programme in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that has reached more than 800 000 children since 2019.
While expressing euphoria on the malaria vaccine rollout , WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, ” “This is a historic moment. The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control,”
“Using this vaccine on top of existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of young lives each year.”
According to WHO, Malaria remains a primary cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa as it kills more than 260 000 African children under the age of five annually.
The health agency says in recent years, there have been reports of a stagnation in progress against the deadly disease before the groundbreaking feat.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said, “For centuries, malaria has stalked sub-Saharan Africa, causing immense personal suffering.” “We have long hoped for an effective malaria vaccine and now for the first time ever, we have such a vaccine recommended for widespread use.
” Today’s recommendation offers a glimmer of hope for the continent which shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease and we expect many more African children to be protected from malaria and grow into healthy adults.”
Daybreak reports that WHO recommends that in the context of comprehensive malaria control the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine be used for the prevention of P. falciparum malaria in children living in regions with moderate to high transmission as defined by WHO. RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine should be provided in a schedule of 4 doses in children from 5 months of age for the reduction of malaria disease and burden.
