Cameroon launches malaria vaccine rollout

Chris Benson
·2 min read
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UPI
Cameroon began a malaria vaccine rollout Monday as World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for a second vaccine against the disease due to overwhelming demand. File Photo by World Health Organization

Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Cameroon began rolling out vaccines for malaria as part of its routine national vaccination regimen, the World Health Organization said.

The RTS,S vaccine program -- currently being rolled out in 42 health districts in Cameroon's 10 regions -- will target children aged six months as of Dec. 31, 2023, and come as malaria vaccination efforts in high-risk areas of Africa are being increased, according to the World Health Organization.

Cameroon received 331,200 doses of the vaccine in November 2023 with more expected in coming weeks. To prep for the launch, the WHO partnered with UNICEF, the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Clinton Health Access Initiative and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance.

"The launch of the malaria vaccine marks a significant step in the prevention and control of the disease, especially in protecting children against severe disease and death," Dr. Phanuel Habimana, the WHO's Cameroon representative, said in a statement. "We're committed to supporting the national health authorities to ensure an effective rollout of the malaria vaccine together with scale up of other malaria control measures."

Malaria is the most widespread endemic disease in Cameroon and is responsible for 2.7 million reported cases, according to USAID. Of the 249 million malaria cases globally which lead to a reported 608,000 deaths in 2022, 77% were children under age five and mostly in Africa.

Cameroon becomes the first country to roll out the vaccine that is not part of the WHO's malaria vaccine pilot program, which includes Ghana, Kenya and Malawi.

More than 2 million children received malaria vaccine in three African countries through the vaccine program which was to last through 2023, and "substantial reductions in severe malaria illness and hospitalizations" were reported. This also comes after Cabo Verde became the 43rd country to be declared by WHO as malaria-free.

With nine other African countries set to launch the malaria vaccine rollout this year, Cameroon joins Benin, Burkina Faso and Liberia who have received vaccine doses and in the final stages of rolling it out to the population.

The WHO recommended a second vaccine against malaria in October with Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus saying the demand for RTS,S "far exceeds supply."