Fighting malaria: hope for vaccination

Published in: 04/25/2024 – 01:43

4 minutes

It took more than 30 years to develop an effective vaccine against malaria. The first, RTS,S, was approved by the World Health Organization in 2021 after two years of testing. Since 2019, nearly 2 million at-risk children have received a malaria vaccine. GhanaIN Kenya and in Malawi. According to UNICEF, this has led to a 13% reduction in the infant mortality rate associated with the disease.

In November 2023 Cameroon received its first doses, but it was only in January that the central African country became the first to develop a systematic and free vaccination program to save thousands of children.

Children under five years of age are the main victims of malaria and account for 80% of deaths worldwide. Therefore, it is recommended that vaccines be administered to infants aged 5 months and older at a rate of 4 doses in areas of moderate and high transmission.

According to Gavi, the vaccine alliance, about twenty countriesAfricaand that’s already the case Burkina Fasoshould integrate childhood vaccination programs this year as part of their malaria control policies.

Vaccination

The same is happening in Benin, where vaccination will begin in areas where malaria deaths are high. The country is the fourth country to receive doses of the RTS,S malaria vaccine. our correspondent in Cotonou reports, Jean-Luc Aplogan. Thus, vaccination will first take place in three medical zones out of 16 planned – in the south, center and north of the country, the so-called priority zones. The rest will be enrolled later.

The first delivery of 215,000 doses will be enough for just over 50,000 children, as 4 doses are needed per child. This is an injection dose of 0.5 ml. The injection is given in the thigh before the age of 1 year, and then in the arm.

Regarding reliability, the government emphasizes WHO approval. The Minister of Health recently explained that ” vaccination remains one of the safest and most effective strategies “According to an RFI source, Benin is awaiting its next delivery of malaria vaccine. The country should receive deliveries every three months.

Côte d’Ivoire also places special emphasis on prevention in the community. The country must receive the first doses of malaria vaccine by June to reduce child mortality, which is estimated at 280 per 1,000 people, explained Dr. Antoine Mea Tano, director of the National Malaria Control Program.

Mosquito net

According to our correspondent in Geneva, Jeremy Lanchat, another solution to combat this disease is mosquito nets. These are new generation products because they are impregnated with two insecticides instead of one from the pyrethroid family.

It has been used for years, but it is no longer enough, according to Philip Duneton, executive director of Unitaid, an organization set up by the United Nations to improve access to treatment for diseases such as malaria. “ The product impregnated with the mosquito net will kill the mosquito before it can reach a person. But the problem is that as mosquitoes develop resistance, the products we’ve been using for 20 years are becoming less and less effective. “, He said.

Results for these 2.0 mosquito nets: 20-50% more effective. They have already helped prevent 25,000 deaths in 17 countries where mosquito nets are already in use. ” 60% of impregnated mosquito nets are new mosquito nets. And the price will increase by 70 cents to a total cost of 2.70 euros. “,” Mr. Duneton rejoices. Thus, the result is at minimal cost. But organizations like Unitaid received only half of the funds needed to fight malaria.