ABUJA/Nigeria: In a groundbreaking move towards eradicating malaria in Africa, the National Coordinator of the Sen. Ned Nwoko Malaria Eradication Project, Mr. Chuks Anyaduba, has announced that the Nwoko Foundation is preparing to apply for the deployment of a new vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, to Nigeria. This initiative marks a pivotal moment in the battle against the deadly mosquito-borne disease.
Mr. Anyaduba emphasized that the Ned Nwoko Foundation holds a mandate from the Federal Ministry of Health to lead the production of this crucial vaccine, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to combat malaria’s devastating impact on the continent.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently recommended the R21/Matrix-M vaccine for the prevention of malaria in children, following extensive advice from the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG). The recommendation received full endorsement from the WHO Director-General after a regular biannual meeting held on September 25-29.
This landmark recommendation by WHO is significant as it introduces a new weapon in the fight against malaria, complementing the existing RTS,S/AS01 vaccine recommended in 2021. Both vaccines have demonstrated their safety and effectiveness in protecting children from malaria, a disease that claims the lives of nearly half a million African children annually.
The R21 vaccine exhibits remarkable features, including high efficacy when administered just before the high transmission season. In regions with seasonal malaria transmission, the vaccine has demonstrated a 75% reduction in symptomatic cases during the year following a 3-dose series, with a fourth dose maintaining efficacy.
Furthermore, the vaccine has shown good efficacy during the first 12 months after the initial three doses and is projected to have a substantial public health impact in various malaria transmission settings. Its cost-effectiveness, priced at US$ 2 – US$ 4 per dose, is comparable to other recommended malaria interventions and childhood vaccines.
Importantly, the choice between the R21 and RTS,S vaccines will be based on programmatic considerations, vaccine supply, and affordability, as both have not been directly compared.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “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.” He emphasized the crucial role of the R21 vaccine in addressing the demand-and-supply gap and moving closer to a malaria-free future.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, stressed the importance of this recommendation for the continent, stating, “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 R21/Matrix-M vaccine include completing the ongoing WHO prequalification process to enable international procurement for broader distribution. At least 28 African countries plan to introduce this WHO-recommended malaria vaccine as part of their national immunization programs, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in rolling out vaccines to 18 countries.
The rollout of the RTS,S vaccine is scheduled for early 2024 in select African countries, while the R21 malaria vaccine is expected to become available to countries in mid-2024.
In addition to the malaria vaccine recommendation, WHO also issued recommendations for dengue and meningitis vaccines, along with key immunization programmatic recommendations for COVID-19 and other health initiatives, reflecting the organization’s ongoing commitment to global health.
The fight against malaria has taken a significant step forward with the WHO’s latest recommendation, offering hope for a future where this deadly disease no longer poses a grave threat to African children.
