First-Ever Malaria Vaccine Campaign Kicks Off

The world’s first malaria vaccine campaign has recently begun in Cameroon.

“We are not just witnessing but actively participating in a transformative chapter in Africa’s public health history. For a long time we have been waiting for a day like this … it brings more than just hope, it brings a reduction in the mortality and morbidity associated with malaria,” says Dr Mohammed Abdulaziz, the division head at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ninety-five per cent of deaths from malaria occur in Africa, mostly among children under the age of five. Cameroon is the first country to receive the vaccine following the successful trials in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi between 2019 and 2021. Six hundred sixty-two thousand doses are set to be administered to children within the country, with 19 more African countries likely soon being able to receive the vaccine as well. All in all, this vaccine is expected to save tens of thousands of lives.