Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has committed nearly N64 billion (US$ 155.7 million) to the introduction, procurement, and delivery of malaria vaccine to Nigeria and other eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
A few weeks ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had, recommended the widespread use of the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) to specifically fight high P. falciparum malaria transmission.
The P. falciparum is the most deadly malaria parasite globally, and most prevalent in Africa where it kills more than 260,000 children under the age of five annually, with Nigeria one of the worst affected.
The Board of Gavi, a public-private partnership, announced on Thursday, December 2, 2021 that the initial investment will take care of vaccine distribution between 2022 and 2025.
CEO of Gavi, Dr Seth Berkley, said the investment will save tens of thousands of lives annually in sub-Saharan Africa which bears the heaviest malaria burden.
“The vaccine is an important additional tool to control malaria in Africa, alongside other interventions, such as routine use of insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying with insecticides, malaria chemoprevention, and timely testing and treatment,” he said.
RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine is to be provided in a schedule of four doses in children from five months of age for the reduction of malaria disease and burden.
WHO’s recommendation is based on results from an ongoing pilot programme in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi that has reached more than 800,000 children, with more than 2.3 million doses administered, since 2019.
