‘WHO’ Approves for Malaria Vaccine in Historic First for Global Health

Underwritten by Tristan James Jr.

The first vaccine for children at risk of malaria has been approved by the World Health Organization, according to a press release.

This groundbreaking achievement could save tens of thousands of children each year in sub-Saharan Africa alone, the primary risk zone for the parasitic disease that kills half a million people annually, half of whom are children.

The vaccine is the first of its kind to fight a disease caused by a parasite, according to the New York Times.

“We have long hoped for an effective malaria vaccine and now for the first time ever, we have such a vaccine recommended for widespread use.”

DRMATSHIDISOMOETI

It’s designed to stop the deadliest of the five primary strains of malaria — P. falciparum and is the result of more than 30 years of research, development, and funding through a partnership between the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; and Unitaid.

With viruses and bacterial infections, exposure allows a person to develop antibodies that help them fight future infections.

That’s not the case for parasites, which can infect people over and over again. In sub-Saharan Africa, individual children get around six malaria cases per year. Constantly battling malarial infections weakens a child’s immune system and leaves them exposed to other illnesses. 

“Developing a vaccine for a parasite is much different than developing one for a virus or bacteria.”

INSIDERNOTED

In 2019, there were an estimated 229 million cases of malaria and 409,000 deaths around the world. Of those cases and deaths, 94% occurred in Africa. 

The WHO recommends four doses of the vaccine over a period of more than 18 months for children under the age of 5 in moderate- to high-risk areas.

One study found that the vaccine could prevent 5.4 million cases of malaria and 23,000 deaths in children under the age of 5 annually. In combination with existing drugs and techniques to prevent and treat malaria, its efficacy rate increases.