Ivory Coast has initiated a groundbreaking malaria vaccination campaign, a major step in combating one of Africa's most deadly diseases. The country is the first to introduce the new R21 vaccine to children, aiming to reduce the toll of malaria, which tragically claims the lives of four people daily in Ivory Coast, including three young children under the age of five.
The affordable vaccine, priced at £3 per dose, is the culmination of three decades of research conducted at the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute, known for its involvement in AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine development. The rollout of the R21 vaccine in malaria-endemic regions is expected to significantly reduce the burden of the mosquito-borne illness. According to Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India, which has produced the vaccine, research indicates that it is nearly 80% effective in preventing severe illness and deaths in infants, with protection potentially lasting up to a year.
While the World Health Organization approved the first malaria vaccine three years ago, requiring four doses for efficacy that waned within months, the R21 vaccine offers a more promising solution. The Serum Institute of India has already manufactured 25 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, surpassing GlaxoSmithKline’s production capacity of 15 million doses. The affordability and scalability of the R21 vaccine make it a game-changer in malaria prevention efforts, complementing other interventions such as the use of insecticides and bed nets.
Professor Adrian Hill of the University of Oxford hailed the launch of the malaria vaccine as the dawn of a new era in disease prevention, emphasizing its potential to reach a wide audience at a low cost. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has facilitated the distribution of vaccine kits to other African countries, including the Central African Republic, Chad, and South Sudan. Plans are underway to introduce the vaccine in 15 more African nations by the end of the year, with hopes of expanding access to all countries in need.
The introduction of the R21 vaccine signals a significant step forward in the global fight against malaria, offering hope for a future where the disease’s impact is greatly reduced across the African continent.
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