MALAWI TO LAUNCH UNDER-FIVE MALARIA VACCINE

Malawi Government through the Ministry of Health will this month from November 29 introduce Malaria Vaccine for children under five to put to an end Malaria by 2030.

Programs Manager for National Malaria Control Program, Dr Michael Kayange said the aim of the vaccine is to completely eliminate Malaria.

“We are targeting the under-five because they are mostly affected and the vaccine is an addition tool to help fight against the disease, we believe that the vaccine has a potential to reduce malaria by up to 1 million cases and we think that is quite helpful for us as a country.” Said Kayange

The vaccine will be distributed to 900,000 children 11 districts including Karonga, Nkhatabay, Ntchisi Lilongwe, Mchinji, Balaka, Machinga, Mangochi, Phalombe, Chikwawa and Nsanje.

“We have hope that the vaccine will expand to more districts and distributing nets to all districts.” He said

The RTS, S vaccine is directed in four doses: at 5 months, 6 months, 7 months, and 22 months of age.

The vaccine took 30 years for it to be developed and it was approved by World Health Organization (WHO) and after testing it in some countries like Kenya, Ghana and Malawi.

Currently 50% of Malawians are not using mosquito nets which is one way of preventing Malaria.

Malaria is still the leading cause of childhood illness and death in Sub-Saharan Africa.