By JKNewsMedia
NIGERIA, THE country with the highest number of malaria deaths globally, has begun administering a new malaria vaccine for the first time.
The R21/Matrix-M vaccine, approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO), is set to protect children aged five to 15 months.
According to reports, Malaria claims the lives of a large proportion of Nigerians each year, contributing to nearly a third of the global death toll.
The vaccine’s roll-out began in Bayelsa and Kebbi, two states heavily affected by malaria.
Bayelsa’s health commissioner, Prof Seiyefa Brisibe, assured the public of campaigns aimed at promoting the vaccine in local languages.
Moreover, the vaccine’s effectiveness is reported at 75%, and experts advise pairing it with other preventative measures, such as mosquito nets and insecticides.
Happiness Idia-Wilson’s 11-month-old son was the first to receive the vaccine in a public ceremony.
“I’m doing this for my child’s safety,” she said, encouraging other mothers to follow suit. Malaria continues to be a significant health challenge in Nigeria, which, according to WHO statistics, accounted for 31% of global malaria deaths in 2022.
The vaccine, developed by the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, requires a series of three doses, with a booster shot after one year.
The government also said that Nigeria’s health sector hopes the vaccine will significantly reduce the malaria burden, along with other ongoing prevention efforts.
It was also pointed out that the annual financial loss of $1.1 billion was due to malaria-related health expenses and lost productivity.
However, this new step complements existing efforts to reduce the impact of malaria in Africa, as the government states.
Other African nations, such as Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo, have recently begun using this vaccine, and its roll-out is expected to expand across Nigeria by 2025.
