Cameroon launches nationwide malaria vaccination programme

In a groundbreaking move hailed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “historic,” Cameroon launched its nationwide malaria vaccination program on Monday, marking the first time such an initiative has been implemented systematically and at a large scale.

The initiative targets a disease that claims over 600,000 lives annually, with 95 percent of fatalities occurring in Africa.

The mosquito-borne disease disproportionately affects children under the age of five, accounting for more than 80 percent of deaths on the continent.

The WHO, in collaboration with the UN children’s agency UNICEF and the Gavi vaccine alliance, commended the move in November, recognizing it as a crucial step towards broader vaccination efforts against one of the deadliest diseases for African children.

At a hospital in Soa, just 20 kilometers from the capital Yaounde, six-month-old Noah Ngah became the first to receive the RTS,S vaccine as part of the nationwide program.

The jab, administered amidst cheers and encouragement from nurses, symbolizes hope for the future, as the vaccine is expected to significantly reduce severe malaria cases and related hospitalizations.

Cameroon’s initiative follows a successful pilot phase in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi since 2019, where over two million children were vaccinated.

The results showed substantial reductions in severe malaria illness and hospitalizations. Ghana’s Health Minister highlighted the transformative impact, with under-five malaria fatality rates dropping from 1.7 percent in 2008 to an impressive 0.06 percent in 2022.

The vaccination, provided free of charge by the government, will be administered systematically to all children under six months old alongside other mandatory or recommended vaccinations.

The WHO emphasizes that Cameroon’s program is the first of its kind globally, setting a precedent for other nations to follow.

Aurelia Nguyen, Chief Programme Officer of the Gavi vaccine alliance, highlighted the potential impact on Cameroon’s health system, stating that “having a preventative tool like the vaccine will free up the health system and result in fewer hospitalizations and deaths” in a country where 30 percent of consultations are linked to malaria.

While Burkina Faso, Liberia, Niger, and Sierra Leone are gearing up for similar large-scale vaccination programs, experts stress that the vaccine is not a “silver bullet.”

Willis Akhwale, Special Adviser at End Malaria Council Kenya, acknowledged the vaccine’s efficacy is not 100 percent but emphasized that even at 40 percent, it is saving lives, particularly in the critical age bracket of two years old prone to severe malaria.