World Health Organisation recommends new vaccine for malaria prevention
First Published: 2nd October, 2023 21:52 IST
WHO also issued recommendations on the advice of SAGE for new vaccines for dengue and meningitis, along with immunisation schedules and product recommendations for COVID-19
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended a new vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, for the prevention of malaria in children, an official release said.
The recommendation follows advice from the WHO: Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG) and was endorsed by the WHO Director-General following its regular biannual meeting held on September 25-29.
WHO also issued recommendations on the advice of SAGE for new vaccines for dengue and meningitis, along with immunisation schedules and product recommendations for COVID-19. WHO also issued key immunisation programmatic recommendations on polio, IA2030 and recovering the immunisation programme, it added.
The R21 vaccine is the second malaria vaccine recommended by WHO, following the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, which received a WHO recommendation in 2021. Both vaccines are shown to be safe and effective in preventing malaria in children and, when implemented broadly, are expected to have a high public health impact. Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, places a particularly high burden on children in the African Region, where nearly half a million children die from the disease each year, the release said.
Demand for malaria vaccines is unprecedented; however, the available supply of RTS,S is limited. The addition of R21 to the list of WHO-recommended malaria vaccines is expected to result in sufficient vaccine supply to benefit all children living in areas where malaria is a public health risk.
“As a malaria researcher, I used to dream of the day we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now we have two,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General in a media briefing with Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation.
“Demand for the RTS,S vaccine far exceeds supply, so this second vaccine is a vital additional tool to protect more children faster, and to bring us closer to our vision of a malaria-free future,” he added.
Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, emphasised the importance of this recommendation for the continent, saying, “This second vaccine holds real potential to close the huge demand-and-supply gap. Delivered to scale and rolled out widely, the two vaccines can help bolster malaria prevention and control efforts and save hundreds of thousands of young lives in Africa from this deadly disease.”
The next steps for the second recommended malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, include completing the ongoing WHO prequalification which would enable international procurement of the vaccine for a broader rollout.
At least 28 countries in Africa plan to introduce a WHO-recommended malaria vaccine as part of their national immunisation programmes. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has approved providing technical and financial support to roll out malaria vaccines to 18 countries. The RTS,S vaccine will be rolled out in some African countries in early 2024, and the R21 malaria vaccine is expected to become available to countries in mid-2024, a WHO release said. (ANI)
Also Read: DGCA proposes barring pilots, crew from using perfume
COMMENTS
TOPMOST STORY NOW
Live NEHU Crisis: NEHUTA President Professor Lakhon Kma on Appointment of 2 Pro Vice Chancellors
14th November 2024Live BSF Destroys Illegal Cannabis Cultivation in South Tripura Forest
14th November 2024Live NEHU Crisis: Protesting Students Reject Appointment of 2 Pro Vice Chancellors
14th November 2024Live Chaos Erupted in Guwahati Railway Station After Cancellation of the Guwahati-Silchar Express Train
14th November 2024WE RECOMMEND
Coldplay Extends India Tour With 4th Show in This City on This Date
Tickets for the highly anticipated show will go live on BookMyShow starting 16 November at 12 PM.
13th November 2024Doctor Stabbed 7 Times by Son Over Mother’s Cancer Treatment at a Tamil Nadu Hospital
The attack occurred in the hospital's OPD after the son suspected that the doctor had prescribed the wrong medication for his mother.
13th November 2024Telangana: Goods Train Carrying Iron Ore Derails in Peddapalli, 37 Trains Cancelled
As per the officials, the incident happened at around 10 PM on Tuesday. Due to the derailment, 37 trains have been cancelled.
13th November 2024PM Modi to attend G20 Summit in Brazil, also visit Guyana, Nigeria
India is part of the G20 Troika along with Brazil and South Africa and has been actively contributing to the ongoing G20 Summit discussions.
13th November 2024Helicopters of BJP President JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah Also Checked as Part of SOP
Amid the hue and cry by Shiv Sena over the checking of its leader Uddhav Thackeray’s helicopter in Yavatmal, sources in the Election Commission clarified that enforcement agencies are strictly following Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for a level playing field. Helicopters of Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda were also checked during the election. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a […]
12th November 2024