Malawi Begins Landmark Malaria Vaccination Drive

Malawi has begun a large-scale infant vaccination campaign against malaria which is the world’s first-ever campaign of its kind.

The World Health Organization (WHO) country representative Dr. Neema Kimambo announced the initiative.

The RTS,S vaccine, developed by pharmaceutical company GSK has been through rounds of testing in Malawi, Ghana and Kenya over the past few years.

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However, early trials show just more than 30% of the five to 17-month-olds who received it were protected.

The first part will see 11 of the country’s 28 districts will be covered, with 330,000 children expected to be vaccinated in this phase alone.

RTS,S shares similarities with another malaria vaccine developed by University of Oxford.

Trial results of the Oxford vaccine from 409 children in Nanoro, Burkina Faso, have shown three initial doses followed by a booster a year later gives up to 80% protection.