Cameroon Breakthrough: First African Nation to Receive Malaria Vaccine, Nigeria Awaits Its Turn

Cameroon reached a pivotal milestone in the global battle against malaria as it received the first shipment of Mosquirix malaria vaccines from the British pharmaceutical giant GSK Plc on Tuesday. In a historic move, Cameroon becomes the first African nation to acquire the vaccine, marking a significant step in addressing the mosquito-borne disease that claims more than 600,000 lives worldwide annually.

The consignment, comprising 331,200 doses of the RTS, S vaccine, landed at Yaounde’s Nsimalen International Airport. This achievement follows successful pilot programs in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi, signifying a crucial moment in Africa’s collective efforts against malaria—a disease identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the deadliest on the continent, responsible for nearly half a million deaths among children under the age of five.

Cameroon’s Health Minister, Manaouda Malachie, shared that the initial batch of vaccines would be distributed across 42 out of the country’s 203 health districts. Stressing the significance of the vaccine, Malachie highlighted its role in enhancing existing measures against malaria and preventing the loss of numerous lives in the nation.

“We lose many compatriots who die because of this disease. Today, we have a vaccine which comes to add to the panoply of measures already rolled out,” Malachie emphasized.

According to a health official cited by Reuters, inoculations in Cameroon are expected to commence next month or early next year, maintaining anonymity while disclosing the timeline.

GSK reported that over 1.7 million children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi have already received at least one dose of the Mosquirix vaccine through pilot programs. The company plans to expand distribution to nine more malaria-endemic countries, including Cameroon, in the early months of the upcoming year.

In a parallel effort, GAVI, the global vaccine alliance, disclosed that an additional 1.7 million doses of the RTS, S vaccine are set to reach Burkina Faso, Liberia, Niger, and Sierra Leone in the coming weeks. UNICEF representative Juliette Haenni hailed this as a historic moment for child protection, emphasizing the focus on children aged six to 24 months, the most vulnerable demographic.

While Cameroon celebrates this significant achievement, the World Health Organization announced that a second malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, developed by Britain’s University of Oxford, is anticipated to be available by mid-2024. This development offers further hope in the ongoing fight against this devastating disease, providing a multi-pronged approach to malaria prevention and control.