Cameroon launches malaria vaccination program

The West African nation became the first country in the world to begin routinely administering the malaria RTS,S vaccine on Monday. Africa accounts for 95 percent of the world’s malaria cases. Globally, malaria was the cause of more than 600,000 deaths in 2021. At least 19 other countries are slated to launch similar programs this year. African officials aim to vaccinate about 6.6 million children by 2025. Kate O’Brien, the director of the World Health Organization’s Department of Immunization, said the vaccine has already been administered to more than 2 million children.

How effective is the vaccine? O’Brien said clinical trial data projects the vaccine will save tens of thousands of lives each year, explaining that seasonal vaccinations could prevent about 75 percent of malaria cases. However, O’Brien insists Africans should still use mosquito spray and bed nets for maximum protection against mosquito-borne illness.

Dig Deeper:  Read a report by Charles Horton in WORLD Magazine about the efficacy of the RTS,S vaccine.