Malaria Vaccine: World's First Vaccine against Parasitic Diseases
After a successful 2019 pilot program conducted in Ghana to test the efficacy of the new Malaria Vaccine, the World Health Organization approved the RTS,S vaccine for use in regions with moderate to high rates of malaria.
Simon Rick 
After a successful 2019 pilot program conducted in Ghana to test the efficacy of the new Malaria Vaccine, the World Health Organization approved the RTS,S vaccine for use in regions with moderate to high rates of malaria. The GlaxoSmithKline vaccine has a thirty to forty percent success rate, which is a significant enough cannon in the war against mosquito-borne infection.
Source: UNICEF
The vaccine is a medical advancement landmark in the fight against parasitic infections by holding two mantles, the first malaria vaccine and, most importantly, the first approved vaccine deployed against parasitic infections in humans. Kenya, Ghana and Malawi make up the three primary African countries to roll out the phased vaccination program.
Source: The Scientist Magazine
The vaccine is a useful measure to add to the arsenal against malaria, including mosquito nets, repellents, and anti-insecticides. After thirty years of development and more than two years of pilot testing in Kenya, the Ministry of Health’s National Vaccines and Immunization program commends the vaccine and is motivated by the positive reception.
Source: WHO
As much as the benefits of the vaccine are evident, the costs to cater for production and distribution are still a challenge as very few organizations have stepped up to champion the delivery program across high-risk territories, especially in Africa.
