The world’s first malaria vaccine rollout began in Cameroon on Monday, January 22, 2024. The vaccine, called RTS,S or Mosquirix, was developed by GlaxoSmithKline and approved by the World Health Organization. It is intended to protect children under five from the deadly disease, which kills about 600,000 people in Africa every year.
The vaccine requires four doses and will be given for free to all infants up to six months old, along with other routine childhood vaccines. Cameroon is the first country to start the mass vaccination program, after successful trials in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. Another 19 African countries plan to join the program this year, with hopes of reaching 6.6 million children.
The vaccine is not a “silver bullet”, as it has a relatively low efficacy rate of about 36%. However, it is expected to save tens of thousands of lives and reduce the burden of malaria on health systems and families. The vaccine will be most effective when combined with other preventive measures, such as insecticide-treated bed nets and anti-malarial drugs.
