Afrigather Accra, Ghana – The Authorities of Ghana has launched an enlargement of the nationwide malaria vaccine immunization programme to ship malaria vaccines to 1000’s of youngsters at excessive threat of malaria sickness and loss of life in Ghana.
The malaria vaccine Mosquirix– RTS,S, the primary vaccine beneficial by the World Well being Group(WHO) to stop malaria and considerably cut back life-threatening extreme malaria in youngsters, is predicted to save lots of 1000’s of lives every year with this enlargement programme.
Launching the enlargement within the Sunyani East Municipality within the Bono area, the Minister of Well being, Hon Kwaku Agyeman-Manu underscored the importance of the malaria vaccine an intervention in direction of the elimination of malaria.
“Vaccination saves youngsters’s lives; it is without doubt one of the most cost-effective public well being interventions and one of the best ways to assist youngsters to outlive,” stated Hon Agyemang-Manu.
“I urge all caregivers and oldsters to take full benefit of this chance and be sure that they ship their eligible youngsters to the Little one Well being and Vitamin clinics popularly generally known as Little one Welfare Clinics or CWC to be vaccinated towards this lethal childhood illness,” he added.
Preliminary introductions of the malaria vaccine by nationwide immunization programmes in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi have resulted in substantial discount in lethal extreme malaria, with a drop in youngster hospitalizations and youngster deaths.
“The malaria vaccine is a welcome addition to the malaria management toolbox and can supply endemic nations the chance to quickly attain youngsters in probably the most weak locations with an efficient intervention by the routine immunization platform,” famous the WHO Consultant to Ghana, Dr Francis Kasolo.
“It’s important for all stakeholders to unfold the significance of the malaria vaccine and all childhood immunizations in defending the lives and livelihoods of our youngsters and future generations,” Dr Kasolo added.
In Ghana, the malaria vaccine implementation programme was launched in Might 2019 in 42 districts throughout seven areas. As at December 2022, a complete of 1.4 million doses of the vaccine had been administered to eligible youngsters with 459,446 youngsters receiving at the least one dose and 184,418 youngsters finishing all of the 4 doses.
The enlargement will see the supply of malaria vaccines to youngsters in 51 extra districts within the seven areas.
The malaria vaccine programme is being carried out in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, with greater than 1.2 million youngsters reached with at the least one dose of the malaria vaccine. The implementation programme which involves an finish in December 2023, has offered essential info for different malaria endemic nations in sub-Saharan Africa to roll out the malaria vaccine from 2024.
The implementation programme is coordinated by WHO and supported by PATH, UNICEF, GlaxoSmithKline (producer of the vaccine) and different stakeholders, with funding offered by Gavi, the International Fund and Unitaid.
