Tropical countries have cheering news as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has endorsed the first ever malaria vaccine for children.
The development is expected to curb the malaria epidermic particularly in Africa.
Briefing newsmen on Wednesday, the Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus said the long awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control.
Ghebreyesus said that the endorsement of the vaccine followed a 2-year vaccine programme that involved children in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi.
The WHO boss expressed optimism that the new drug will improve efforts on malaria prevention in Africa and save thousands of young ones.
According to him, “This is a historic moment. The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control.
“Using this vaccine on top of existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens o thousands of young lives each year.”
The only approved vaccine as of 2021 is RTS,S, known by the brand name Mosquirix. It requires four injections, and has a relatively low efficacy. Due to this low efficacy, the World Health Organization (WHO) does not recommend the routine use of the RTS,S vaccine in babies between 6 and 12 weeks of age.
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