The first malaria vaccine will be tested on a large scale in some African countries in 2018. According to Reuters, Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi will be the first countries to vaccinate infants and children against this deadly disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the rollout of this vaccine will begin in areas where the risk of malaria is highest. This injectable vaccine, known as RTS,S or Mosquirix, is developed and distributed by a British pharmaceutical company called GlaxoSmithKline. Although the trial period showed that this vaccine is somewhat effective and must be administered in four doses to children, it is the first malaria vaccine to be approved by scientific authorities. The WHO, which is deciding whether to include this vaccine in its proposed package for malaria prevention, has stated that it first wants to ensure the vaccine's effectiveness, which is the goal of this trial program. In a statement issued by the WHO regarding this announcement, it was mentioned that "the information obtained from this trial program will help us decide on the broader use of this vaccine." Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, believes that combining this vaccine with existing treatments for malaria could save thousands of lives in Africa. Malaria claims the lives of 430,000 people worldwide each year, with the majority of victims being infants and young children in the Horn of Africa. Global efforts have led to a more than sixty percent reduction in malaria deaths between 2000 and 2015. Now, the WHO's trial program aims to ensure the vaccine's effectiveness in the three countries with the highest malaria fatalities and to assess whether the four-dose vaccination schedule is feasible.
First Malaria Vaccine to be Tested in 2018
The first malaria vaccine, RTS,S, will be tested in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi in 2018 to combat malaria, which kills 430,000 people annually, primarily infants and young children. The WHO is conducting trials to confirm the vaccine's effectiveness and feasibility of its four-dose schedule.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The first malaria vaccine, RTS,S, will undergo large-scale testing in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi starting in 2018. This initiative aims to combat malaria, which is a leading cause of death among infants and young children.
- Malaria kills approximately 430,000 people annually, mostly infants and young children.
- The RTS,S vaccine requires four doses for effectiveness.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Efforts to combat malaria have included the development of vaccines and treatments.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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