Afrigather 
In a latest growth, Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the World Well being Group (WHO), UNICEF, and Gavi, has taken a big step ahead within the combat in opposition to malaria. On December 15, 2023, the WHO Sierra Leone crew, led by the WHO Nation Consultant Dr. Harmless Vivid Nuwagira, joined forces with the Ministry of Well being senior management, led by the Minister of Well being Dr. Austin Demby, the 2 deputy ministers of well being Dr. Charles Senessie, and Dr. Jalikatu Mustapha, and the UNICEF Consultant to obtain a momentous cargo of greater than 550,000 doses of the WHO-approved malaria vaccine.
This supply marks a crucial milestone in Sierra Leone’s battle in opposition to malaria, a illness that has considerably impacted public well being throughout the African continent. Sierra Leone is among the many 9 nations, together with Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Niger, and Uganda, set to introduce the vaccine into their routine immunization applications for the primary time.
Since 2019, Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi have been efficiently delivering the RTS, S/AS01 vaccine via the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Program (MVIP). Over 1.7 million kids in these three nations have acquired the vaccine, demonstrating its security and efficacy. This initiative has resulted in a considerable discount in extreme malaria circumstances and a big lower in baby deaths.
The preliminary 18 million dose allocation, facilitated by the collaborative efforts of WHO, Gavi, the International Fund to Combat AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNICEF and Unitaid, will empower Sierra Leone to increase this life-saving intervention to its most susceptible populations. Along with the vaccine, Sierra Leone will proceed to implement different preventive measures, together with using insecticide-treated mattress nets (ITNs) and widespread malaria testing.
Malaria burden in Sierra Leone accounts for over two million hospital visits yearly. With the arrival of those new vaccines, the nation is poised to witness a transformative discount within the variety of hospital visits, admissions, and, most significantly, deaths associated to malaria.
The importance of this WHO-approved malaria vaccine goes past its rapid impression. It’s a beacon of hope for households and communities, signaling a breakthrough in baby well being and survival. The primary allocation of vaccine doses is strategically prioritized for kids on the highest danger of succumbing to malaria, aiming to deal with well being disparities and save younger lives.
Talking on this milestone, the Minister of well being, Dr. Demby emphasised, “The excessive demand for the vaccine and the robust attain of childhood immunization will improve fairness in entry to malaria prevention and save many younger lives. We are going to work tirelessly to extend provide till all kids in danger have entry.”
On his half, the WHO Consultant, Dr. Harmless Nuwagira, assured the nation that the vaccine is accredited by WHO to be used, and hoped that the inhabitants will embrace it to optimize its use. He assured the MOH and GOSL of WHO’s dedication to help the planning, preparations and roll out of the vaccine early subsequent yr. “All of us at WHO, all ranges of the group, are at your service to help the following phases of this train” mentioned the WHO Consultant. Including that the introduction of the vaccine goes to be a recreation changer within the combat in opposition to malaria within the nation.
This WHO help builds on a number of different high-impact technical and monetary help on this space. With funding from GAVI, GIZ, WHO AFRO and others, WCO Sierra Leone has been capable of help authorities within the reactive marketing campaign in opposition to measles that has drastically decreased measles circumstances ending one of many longest measles outbreaks within the nation. With WHO help the nation is nearly finishing an EPI Complete overview that can inform programming shifting ahead. The WHO can also be offering monetary and technical help to the population-based EPI Survey to be undertaken by Statistics Sierra Leone and MOH. These efforts are additional complemented by the continuing WHO help in direction of mass distribution of insecticide handled mosquito nets and the latest institution of the Baby Well being Program within the ministry of well being amongst others. All these efforts are anticipated to drastically scale back baby and maternal deaths within the nation.
As Sierra Leone prepares to roll out the malaria vaccine in early 2024, the nation stands united in its dedication to reworking the futures of its kids and guaranteeing a more healthy, malaria-free tomorrow. The collaboration between worldwide organizations and native authorities serves as a testomony to the ability of collective motion in advancing world well being initiatives.
