Children living in sub-Saharan Africa and in risk areas are concerned. The Director General of the Organization salutes “a historic moment, a breakthrough for science, child health and the fight against malaria”.
Le Monde with AFP
The general manager of the organization welcomes a “historic moment”. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended, Wednesday, October 6, the massive deployment of the first malaria vaccine in children living in sub-Saharan Africa and in risk areas.
“The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and the fight against malaria, said the general manager of WHO, the d r tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, cited in a press release. The use of this vaccine In addition to existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of young lives each year “.
a child dies from #Malaria Every Two minutes.
One Death is One Too Many.
🚨 Today, Who Recommends RTS, S, A Groundbr … https://t.co/hw0sqqsd5t
The “RTS, s” is a vaccine that acts against a parasite (plasmodium falciparum) transmitted by mosquitoes, the most mortal parasite on a global scale and the most prevail in Africa.
For Africa, where malaria kills more than 260,000 children under the age of five each year, this vaccine is synonymous with hope, especially as the fears of a resistance of malaria to treatments increase.
“Malaria haunted sub-Saharan Africa”
“For centuries, malaria haunted sub-Saharan Africa, causing immense personal suffering,” said the d r Matshidiso Meti, WHO Regional Director for Africa . And add:
“We have long hoped for an effective antimalarial vaccine and now for the first time we have a recommended vaccine for generalized use”
Since 2019, three countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, have begun to introduce the vaccine into selected areas where malaria transmission is moderate to severe. Two years after the beginning of this first life-size test in the world, 2.3 million doses of vaccine have been administered.