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Cameroon Starts World-First Malaria Mass Vaccine Rollout: The world's first routine vaccine programme against malaria has started in Cameroon, in a move projected to save thousands of children's lives across Africa. From a report: The symbolic first jab was given to a baby girl named Daniella at a health facility near Yaounde on Monday. Every year 600,000 people die of malaria in Africa, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Children under five make up at least 80% of those deaths. Cameroon is offering the RTS,S vaccine free of charge to all infants up to the age of six months old. Patients require a total of four doses. Health officials say these will be given at the same time as other routine childhood vaccines to make it easier for parents. It comes after successful pilot campaigns in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi - where the vaccine caused a 13% drop in malaria deaths in children of eligible age, says Unicef. The jab is known to be effective in at least 36% of cases, according to US researchers, meaning it could save over one in three lives. While the rollout is undoubtedly a relief and a life-saver, its relatively low efficacy rate means that it is not a "silver bullet," argues Willis Akhwale at End Malaria Council Kenya. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Cameroon Starts World-First Malaria Mass Vaccine Rollout: The world's first routine vaccine programme against malaria has started in Cameroon, in a move projected to save thousands of children's lives across Africa. From a report: The symbolic first jab was given to a baby girl named Daniella at a health facility near Yaounde on Monday. Every year 600,000 people die of malaria in Africa, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Children under five make up at least 80% of those deaths. Cameroon is offering the RTS,S vaccine free of charge to all infants up to the age of six months old. Patients require a total of four doses. Health officials say these will be given at the same time as other routine childhood vaccines to make it easier for parents. It comes after successful pilot campaigns in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi - where the vaccine caused a 13% drop in malaria deaths in children of eligible age, says Unicef. The jab is known to be effective in at least 36% of cases, according to US researchers, meaning it could save over one in three lives. While the rollout is undoubtedly a relief and a life-saver, its relatively low efficacy rate means that it is not a "silver bullet," argues Willis Akhwale at End Malaria Council Kenya. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

A large analysis of the RTS,S Malaria vaccine pilot studies shows that it reduced mortality in toddlers by 13%. This is significant considering #Malaria kills 400,000 people annually. 95% of these deaths are children < 5years old #Africa . With the larger scale role out of #Malaria vaccines across the continent there is a lot of hope that this mortality reduction benefits will be reaped on a broader scale but important concerns remain regarding sustainable funding for these vaccines, uptake in a climate of growing vaccine hesitancy and sustaining other malaria prevention efforts which will now compete for limited funding with vaccines. https://lnkd.in/eWcYgUS4

BREAKING! Today, a second vaccine to fight #malaria was recommended by the World Health Organization. This opens the door for an expansion in the global supply of malaria vaccines and increasing the diverse range of tools available to fight malaria. The R21/Matrix-M vaccine was developed by the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford to protect children living in malaria endemic areas from the most common and deadly form of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum. Demand for malaria vaccines is unprecedented. The addition of R21 to the list of WHO-recommended malaria vaccines is expected to result in sufficient vaccine supply to benefit all children living in areas where malaria is a public health threat. Read Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance joint statement with RMB and The Global Fund here: https://lnkd.in/eFMvWrFd risk.  https://lnkd.in/eheEzu8U

Malaria case 🚀 “In clinical trial results published in 2015, RTS,S showed 36.3% efficacy against clinical malaria a median of 4 years after toddlers were vaccinated. In the $70 million pilot, mandated by WHO and launched in 2019, nearly 2 million very young children have been vaccinated in the three countries. As the vaccine rolled out, researchers were tasked with studying its real-world impacts on deaths and severe malaria and determining whether it could be fit into routine childhood vaccination schedules without hurting the administration of other vaccines.” Knowledge 📚 -RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) is the world's first malaria vaccine and the first approved vaccine to combat a human parasitic disease. WHO recommends R21/Matrix-M vaccine for malaria prevention in updated advice on immunization (https://lnkd.in/grUnD4Uz) #WHO -Why did it take so long to develop a malaria vaccine? (2023, https://lnkd.in/g8NFqFhu) “The Plasmodium parasites’ genetic make-up consists of about 5400 coding genes, and with the absence of adequate natural human immunity against the disease, these make malaria unique from other microbial pathogens for which successful vaccines have been developed. Moreover, malaria has been mutating for 30 million years, and after a person has contracted malaria, they can only acquire partial immunity—unlike a virus which can elicit solid immunity.” -Zoonotic malaria transmission and land use change in Southeast Asia (2022, https://lnkd.in/g9QX5-XV) -Different parasite species display varying erythrocyte tropisms (i.e., preference for either reticulocytes or normocytes).(2022, https://lnkd.in/gtkMkdvg) 🎥https://lnkd.in/g_7kCxHK -https://lnkd.in/g2cf7Y6v (TED talk,2022 #prevention) #parasites #malaria #immuneresponse #immunity #zoonosis #species #infection #infectiousdiseases #diseases #mosquitoes #health

𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞 On World Malaria Day, Sierra Leone officially launches the introduction and rollout of 550 000 RTS’S World Health Organization (WHO)-approved vaccine procured by UNICEF with funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, becoming the third country in 2024 to introduce this campaign after #Cameroon and #BurkinaFaso. Read More: https://lnkd.in/gAA2cP4N Sierra Leone is among the countries with the highest malaria burden globally, with over two million hospital visits annually attributed to the disease, half of these are children under the age of five. Malaria also accounts for 25% of all child deaths in the country. “With the new, safe, and efficacious malaria vaccine, we now have an additional tool to fight this disease. In combination with insecticide-treated nets, effective diagnosis and treatment, and indoor spraying, no child should die from malaria infection,” said Dr Austin Demby, Minister of Health. “The launch of the malaria vaccine into the routine immunization service marks a laudable venture, ensuring that every child between the ages of 6 to 23 months has access to this life-saving intervention. This initiative not only underscores our commitment to achieving universal health coverage but also reflects our resolve to leave no child behind,” said Liv Elin Indreiten – UNICEF Representative. #mededgemea #MalariaVaccine #SierraLeone #publichealth #globalhealth #healthcare #vaccines #malariaprevention #infectiousdiseases #medicalbreakthrough #healthequity #EndMalaria #vaccinationprogram #malariacontrol

A second vaccine is outstanding news in the fight against malaria. The demand for the current vaccine across Africa vastly outstrips the very limited supply so a second source for vaccines is enormously helpful. And this second vaccine is reported to be substantially cheaper as well. The long-running clinical trials show that the second vaccine has similar efficacy. That is to say, it is still somewhat limited and is not at nearly the level of other mainline vaccines. Regardless, it will bolster the strength and availability of tools to combat malaria. And, the pipeline for even more very innovative tools to fight malaria is good. Innovation, particularly in a fight that has been underway for millennia like the one against malaria, will require courage among the malaria leaders. It will take courage and innovation to re-establish our global progress against this deadly killer. #globalhealth World Health Organization #PMI #malaria #vaccines Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance The Global Fund David Walton, MD MPH Project HOPE https://lnkd.in/eY5fiTKK

At the Break of Public Health Glory: A New Dawn in Liberia's Fight against Malaria On January 23rd, 2024, stakeholders from the EPI (Expanded Program on Immunization) at the Ministry of Health (MoH), UNICEF, and others witnessed a momentous occasion: the arrival of the first consigment of the record-breaking and long-awaited "Malaria Vaccines." The 112,000 dose of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine was provided by GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund, and Unitaid through the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP) under the World Health Organization (WHO), as part of the 18 million dose allocated to 9 African countries including Liberia. Since 2019, Ghana, Malawi and Kenya have so far immunized more than 1.7 million children. While it is clear that the received doses will not meet the growing demand of Liberia's population, the vaccine's arrival marks a significant step forward in the fight against malaria, which has a prevalence rate of 10% and is one of the major causes of the deaths in children under five. Since the 1950s, Liberia has employed various approaches to combat malaria, including insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor residual spraying, and effective antimalarial drug treatment. However, the introduction of the malaria vaccine signals a new era in preventing this deadly parasite. Evidence from pilot countries like Ghana, Malawi, and Kenya demonstrates the vaccine's safety and efficacy, with immense potential to drastically reduce the disease burden and provide vulnerable children with the chance to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. About the Author: Elijah S. Tingban is a public health enthusiast, an advocate (Patient’s Right) and student at the Adventist University of West Africa. With a deep commitment to promoting well-being and addressing healthcare challenges, he has led several of public health initiatives in slums and remote communities across Montserrado and Grand Bassa counties.

𝐍𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 Nearly 10,000 children in #BurkinaFaso and #Cameroon have now received the RTS,S #Malaria vaccine since being introduced this year. A wider malaria #vaccine rollout is underway this year in several African countries, with Cameroon being the first outside the malaria vaccine pilot program to do so. Read More: https://lnkd.in/dFkGCtbg “Malaria is one of the major health challenges our region faces. The wider rollout of the malaria vaccine marks a significant milestone in advancing the fight against this deadly disease,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (#WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “We’re committed to supporting countries to ensure that all eligible children are protected from the devastating impacts of this preventable illness.” The vaccine rollout in the two countries marks the start of a major initiative by the WHO Regional Office for Africa’s Accelerated Malaria Vaccines Introduction and Rollout in Africa (#amvira). #mededgemea #who #MalariaPrevention #malariafree #MalariaAwareness #african

Cameroon Starts World-First Malaria Mass Vaccine Rollout: The world's first routine vaccine programme against malaria has started in Cameroon, in a move projected to save thousands of children's lives across Africa. From a report: The symbolic first jab was given to a baby girl named Daniella at a health facility near Yaounde on Monday. Every year 600,000 people die of malaria in Africa, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Children under five make up at least 80% of those deaths. Cameroon is offering the RTS,S vaccine free of charge to all infants up to the age of six months old. Patients require a total of four doses. Health officials say these will be given at the same time as other routine childhood vaccines to make it easier for parents. It comes after successful pilot campaigns in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi - where the vaccine caused a 13% drop in malaria deaths in children of eligible age, says Unicef. The jab is known to be effective in at least 36% of cases, according to US researchers, meaning it could save over one in three lives. While the rollout is undoubtedly a relief and a life-saver, its relatively low efficacy rate means that it is not a "silver bullet," argues Willis Akhwale at End Malaria Council Kenya. Read more of this story at Slashdot.