Cameroon has began the world’s first routine vaccine program against malaria. The program is aimed at saving the lives of children across Africa.
The first jab of the vaccine was administered to baby girl Daniella at a health facility near Yaoundé on Monday.
Malaria claims the lives of more than half a million people in Africa annually, with children under five accounting for at least 80% of these deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Cameroon has taken a significant step by offering the RTSS vaccine free of charge to all infants up to six months old.
The RTS’S vaccine was developed by British drugmaker GSK and approved by the World Health Organisation after four decades of development. It is expected to complement existing tools like bed nets.
Cameroon plans to administer four doses of the vaccine to each patient, with health officials coordinating the doses alongside other routine childhood vaccines to simplify the process for parents. This milestone is part of a broader global effort to combat malaria.
The initiative marks a transformative chapter in Africa’s public health history, with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention expressing enthusiasm about the long-awaited progress. Dr. Mohammed Abdulaziz, the division head at the Africa CDC, highlighted the significance of the moment, stating, “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.”
This historic rollout follows successful vaccine trials in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi between 2019 and 2021, signaling a major scaling up of efforts against malaria in Africa, where 95% of the disease-related deaths occur, predominantly affecting children under five. The global community now watches as Cameroon paves the way for a brighter, healthier future, one dose at a time.
Sources : Fiagbe Zenas
