Cameroon will be the initial nation in Africa to regularly administer a new malaria vaccine to children.

Officials described the upcoming Monday campaign as a significant step in the ongoing efforts to reduce the spread of mosquito-borne disease in Africa, where 95% of the world’s malaria-related deaths occur.

“The inoculation will be life-saving. It will greatly ease the burden on families and the nation’s healthcare system,” stated Aurelia Nguyen, the chief program officer at Gavi, an organization aiding Cameroon in obtaining the vaccines.

The country of Central Africa aims to administer vaccinations to approximately 250,000 children in both the current and upcoming year. Gavi has announced their partnership with 20 other African nations to assist in obtaining the vaccine, with the goal of immunizing over 6 million children by the year 2025.

Annually, Africa experiences approximately 250 million occurrences of the parasitic illness, resulting in 600,000 fatalities, primarily among young children.

The country of Cameroon plans to utilize the initial of two recently sanctioned malaria vaccinations, called Mosquirix. This vaccine was endorsed by the World Health Organization two years ago, recognizing that while it may not be flawless, its implementation would greatly decrease the occurrence of severe infections and hospitalizations.

The vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline has an effectiveness rate of only 30%, and it needs to be administered in four doses. Additionally, its protective effects start to diminish after a few months. This vaccine was evaluated in Africa and implemented in trial programs in three nations.

GSK has announced that they are capable of manufacturing approximately 15 million doses of Mosquirix annually. However, some specialists suggest that a different malaria vaccine created by Oxford University and sanctioned by WHO in October may be a more feasible option. This vaccine is more affordable, but it does require three doses. The Serum Institute in India has stated that they have the capacity to produce up to 200 million doses per year.

Nguyen from Gavi expressed the desire for there to be a sufficient supply of Oxford vaccines to commence the process of immunizing individuals in the near future.

The malaria vaccines do not prevent transmission, therefore, other methods such as bed nets and insecticidal spraying will remain important. Malaria is primarily transmitted through infected mosquitoes and can lead to symptoms such as fever, headaches, and chills.

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The Science and Educational Media Group of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute provides support to the Associated Press Health and Science Department. The AP is fully responsible for all of its content.