WHO

Gavi Alliance Board to fund first malaria vaccine

The efforts of the World Health Organization and its partner organizations have made malaria vaccination for children a reality

Published:
08 Dec 2021 08:00am IST
Fit-NE<br>Staff Bureau BY: Fit-NE
Staff Bureau
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The Gavi Alliance Board made a decision to invest in the first and long-awaited malaria vaccination programme. This programme is specially framed for the children and assures that many children, who are at risk, will be benefitted from this life-saving vaccine and additional malaria prevention.
The World Health Organization has appreciated and welcomed the historic decision by the Gavi Alliance Board.
The Gavi Board approved an investment to support the malaria vaccine introduction, procurement and delivery for Gavi-eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa in 2022-2025.
An initial investment of US$155.7 million for 2022-2025 will initiate the implementation of this additional tool to "help drive down child mortality in Africa", according to Gavi.
Respecting and accepting the decision, the Minister of Health of Ghana and Gavi Board member Hon Kwaku Agyeman-Mani in an announcement said that he was proud that Ghana in association with so many other continents all over the world has been involved in the first pilot program and the development of the first approved malaria vaccine program.
He added that he was glad that he working for the benefit of children around the globe.
Interest in the malaria vaccine in endemic countries is high and demand for the vaccine is expected to outpace the currently limited supply.
The Director of Immunization, Vaccinates and Biologicals, Dr KateO'Brien said that the global investment is another milestone for the first malaria vaccine which will be helpful in boosting child survival and will be a boost in child survival. 
Representative image.
Image: Representative image.
The WHO recommendation for the RTS, S malaria vaccine and this follow-on decision was achieved through the support and contributions of WHO across many departments and all levels of the organization, the Ministries of Health in the pilot countries of Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, African-based evaluation partners, UNICEF, PATH, GSK, the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Program (MVIP) funders and other international and country-level public and private partners. 
Interest in the malaria vaccine in endemic countries is high and demand for the vaccine is expected to outpace the currently limited supply. Current vaccine production estimates are for up to 15 million doses per year; however, demand is estimated at more than 80 million doses annually. 
The Director of the Global Malaria Program, Dr Pedro Alonso said that the two significant decisions, firstly the one being the recommendation by the WHO and the second being Gavi's decision to open a funding window for the vaccine is truly historic.
In this context, he added that there is a need of new tools to reach the global malaria targets. It was now when they have a malaria vaccine that can save 40,000 to 80,000 children per year. 
The World Health Organization and their partners are committed to finding approaches and taking actions to accelerate vaccine availability to increase vaccine access and reduce child illness and deaths,
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