Nigeria has received one million doses of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which covers global news on health and immunization. This marks a notable step in the country’s fight against the disease.
The R21/Matrix-M vaccine targets the plasmodium ‘sporozoite’, the first form of the malaria parasite that enters the body system. The vaccine targets them before they multiply in the bloodstream. Due to the complex lifecycle of the vector, unsuccessful attempts have been made to develop a vaccine for malaria. Before this breakthrough, communities had to rely on vector control and antimalarial.
Ghana was the first country to approve the use of this vaccine in its healthcare. However, Côte d’Ivoire was the first country to use it, with the first vaccination occurring in Abidjan.
How Nigeria Would Utilise The Malaria Vaccine
This vaccine will be administered to children aged 5 to 15 months as part of Routine Immunization. The first phase will commence in November in Kebbi and Bayelsa states, which have the highest malaria prevalence rates.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Muhammad Pate guaranteed that the vaccine is free, safe, and efficacious and encouraged Nigerians to take advantage of its limited availability. Nigeria makes up 27% of the global malaria burden and 31% of malaria deaths worldwide, with children under five and pregnant women being the most vulnerable.
The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) aims to minimise all-cause mortality in children under five by 13% and hospitalized severe malaria patients by 22%. The World Health Organization (WHO) urges prioritizing the vaccine in areas with high to moderate transmission.
Future phases will target 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory in 2025 to integrate the vaccine into the national routine immunization schedule as more doses become available.
