In a groundbreaking move, Cameroon has initiated the world’s first routine vaccine program against malaria. The symbolic commencement of this historic program took place at a health facility near Yaoundé, where a baby girl named Daniella received the inaugural jab, according to the BBC.
This development marks a significant stride in the ongoing battle against malaria, a disease that claims the lives of approximately 600,000 people each year in Africa, as reported by the World Health Organization. Shockingly, children under the age of five make up at least 80% of these tragic deaths.
Demonstrating its commitment to fighting malaria, Cameroon has decided to provide the RTS,S vaccine free of charge to all infants up to six months old. This bold initiative underscores the country’s dedication to shielding its youngest citizens from the devastating impact of malaria.
The RTS,S vaccine, administered in four doses, has been shown to be effective in at least 36% of cases, according to US researchers. While its efficacy rate may not qualify it as a “silver bullet,” as noted by Willis Akhwale at End Malaria Council Kenya, it is considered an important “additional tool” in the fight against malaria, according to Cameroonian doctor Shalom Ndoula, who played a key role in the rollout.
“We have the capacity to significantly reduce the number of cases and deaths from malaria and accelerate the elimination of the disease,” Dr. Ndoula emphasized in an interview with the BBC.
The development of the RTS,S vaccine required 30 years of research by the British drug-maker GSK. The World Health Organization, which approved the vaccine, has hailed the launch in Cameroon as a historic moment in the global fight against the mosquito-borne disease.