Cameroon has initiated the world’s first routine malaria vaccine programme, contributing to a global effort expected to save numerous children’s lives across Africa. The RTS,S vaccine, approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and developed by British drugmaker GSK, is being administered to infants in Cameroon’s 42 most severely affected districts.
Cameroon is the first country to introduce doses through a routine immunisation programme, following successful pilot campaigns in Kenya, Ghana, and Malawi. This significant step in the decades-long battle against malaria in Africa is set to begin on Monday.
Described as a milestone by health officials, the rollout is paving the way for twenty other countries to implement the programme this year, according to the global vaccine alliance Gavi.
The four-dose malaria vaccine, RTS,S, is approximately 30% effective, and its protection diminishes after several months. GSK mentioned that it can produce about 15 million doses annually.