The Health Minister of Benin Republic, Benjamin Hounkpatin, announced that the country has received its initial shipment of malaria vaccines, marking a significant step in combatting the leading cause of infant mortality. Speaking at Cotonou airport late on Monday, Hounkpatin disclosed the official reception of 215,900 doses of the RTS,S vaccine.
Highlighting the endemic nature of malaria and its severe impact on children under five years old in Benin, Hounkpatin emphasized the importance of this vaccination campaign. The minister noted that 40 percent of outpatient consultations and 25 percent of hospital admissions in Benin are linked to malaria.
The administration of the first vaccinations is expected to commence “within a few months,” according to Hounkpatin. The vaccine, which will be given in four doses at six, seven, nine, and 18 months, is projected to immunize approximately 200,000 children under the age of two.
Benin now joins Cameroon and Sierra Leone as the third African country to receive doses of the malaria vaccine. The initiative follows a successful pilot phase in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi, coordinated by the World Health Organization and funded by the GAVI Vaccine Alliance, among other partners.
UNICEF’s immunization specialist in Benin, Benin Faustin Yao, highlighted the positive impact witnessed in the initial vaccine rollout, with more than two million children vaccinated in the pilot countries. This effort resulted in a “spectacular decline” in mortality rates and a significant reduction in severe forms of malaria and related hospitalizations, as reported by GAVI.
The World Health Organization (WHO) underscored the urgency of addressing malaria, revealing that almost every minute, a child under the age of five succumbs to the disease. In 2021, global malaria cases reached 247 million, with 619,000 fatalities, primarily impacting Africa. The WHO emphasized the disease’s alarming prevalence, affecting 95 percent of cases and 96 percent of deaths on the continent. The introduction of the malaria vaccine in Benin marks a crucial step in the ongoing global effort to combat this formidable health challenge.