Enhancing capability for malaria vaccine introduction and rollout in Africa via expertise sharing

Accra, Ghana – Since 2019, Ghana, Kenya and Malawi have been rolling out malaria vaccines, with over 2.5 million kids already receiving at the very least one dose of the life-saving vaccine that’s defending kids from lethal malaria.

In 2024, greater than 20 nations in Africa are to introduce the vaccine into routine immunization, with Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone already main the way in which. The dimensions-up of malaria vaccines in Africa will improve entry to malaria prevention and save tens of hundreds of younger lives yearly.

As a part of efforts to assist the broader introduction and rollout of the malaria vaccine, the World Well being Group (WHO), PATH and different companions convened stakeholders from  Nigeria, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia to be taught from Ghana’s malaria vaccination expertise on 16-18 April in Accra, Ghana, and guarantee satisfactory preparation in the direction of new introductions and rollout throughout these nations.

Drawn from ministries of well being, WHO and UNICEF, contributors additionally benefitted from the expertise of different nations which have already launched the vaccines equivalent to Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Sierra Leone.

“Having been delivering malaria vaccine to kids throughout seven areas, Ghana’s expertise and classes will likely be key to the introduction and rollout of the vaccine in nations which are but to introduce,” says Dr Frank Lule, the Officer-In-Cost of WHO Ghana.

Contributors gained insights into vaccine introduction, danger communication, readiness monitoring, supervision, and information administration amongst others. Moreover, a discipline go to to malaria vaccination facilities was organized to supply contributors with firsthand expertise in Ghana’s vaccination course of.

“In workshops like this, after we change data, the consequence and the influence are typically better effectivity with the sources that now we have to achieve kids and to vaccinate,” says Evan Simpson, Director of Vaccine Implementation, PATH.

As Africa continues to shoulder 94%  of the worldwide malaria burden, the WHO and its companions are strengthening malaria management efforts with vaccines being the most recent within the management toolbox. In January 2024, the WHO Regional Workplace for Africa established the Accelerating Malaria Vaccine Introduction and Rollout in Africa (AMVIRA). This initiative goals to strengthen the availability of state-of-the-art technical assist to Member States of their efforts to introduce and roll out malaria vaccines whereas strengthening companions’ coordination at nationwide, regional, and world ranges successfully and effectively.

WHO and companions additionally leveraged the workshop to handle data gaps and share classes and finest practices to make sure profitable vaccine introduction and rollout in nations which are but to take action.

For contributors, the information gained from the nation peer studying workshop will assist form their methods in the direction of efficient malaria vaccine rollout.

“One of many key classes I’ve picked up from Ghana’s experiences is the position of efficient coordination and collaboration. Although now we have a coordination staff, we’re going to strengthen this staff via the addition of extra stakeholders, together with communities and civil society organizations,” says Dr Yao Kossia Deputy Supervisor, the Expanded Vaccination Programme, Côte d’Ivoire.

Highlighting the importance of the information gained, Dr Garba Ahmed-Rufai, the Director for Illness Management and Immunization of Nigeria famous “What now we have realized is programming by way of the rollout, and the timing of the doses, and the teachings learnt. And realizing what the issues are from the opposite nations, we might simply modify accordingly, in order that we will overcome all of that”.

Along with facilitating cross-learning, WHO via the AMVIRA initiative is enhancing the capability of nations to make sure efficient introductions and rollout. There was the deployment of specialists in Immunization, information administration, danger communication, and exterior communication to help 5 nations in effectively planning and delivering vaccines.

An identical workshop has been held in Cameroon, with extra nations anticipated to take part in different workshops in Benin and Malawi.