In Africa, world health officials roll out first routine malaria vaccine

Cameroon has officially rolled out the first malaria vaccine approved for routine vaccination, targeting children 6 months and older. It reduces severe disease by 30% among young kids.

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

World health officials are celebrating a milestone in the decadeslong fight against malaria. This week, they are starting routine immunizations with the first malaria vaccine ever approved by the World Health Organization. The campaign kicks off in Cameroon. But malaria is a major killer across Africa, and the ultimate target is essentially the entire continent. With us now is NPR global health correspondent Nurith Aizenman. Hi there.

NURITH AIZENMAN, BYLINE: Hi, Juana.

SUMMERS: I mean, this sounds like incredible news. And from what I understand, it’s been a long time coming.

AIZENMAN: Yes, this vaccine has been in the making for 30 years. It’s called RTS,S. It was developed by GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with global health organizations. And it took so long because the parasite that causes malaria is complex. It’s mutating in ways that have also reduced the effectiveness of existing tools against it, insecticide-treated bed nets, medications. Also, the form of malaria that this new vaccine is designed to protect against has been especially devastating to Africa’s young children, killing almost half a million kids under age 5 every year. So to have that vaccine finally ready for routine deployment is a historic moment. Mbianke Livancliff is with a nonprofit called Value Health Africa that’s helping with the preparations in the first country that’s starting this, Cameroon. He says the anticipation there is palpable.

MBIANKE LIVANCLIFF: It has been an excitement throughout the communities. Families were asking us, when is my child going to have this, and when are we finally going to beat malaria?

AIZENMAN: And there are 19 more countries in Africa that are planning to introduce routine immunization with the vaccine…