Health
Oxford’s Malaria vaccine shows 77% efficacy in trails
The new vaccine manufactured by Novavax and Oxford’s Jenner Institute to prevent malaria and tested in Burkina Faso has shown a preliminary efficacy rate of 77%, which could help prevent over 400,000 deaths a year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement said that the number of children reached indicates strong community demand for the vaccine.
“Ghana, Kenya and Malawi show that existing childhood vaccination platforms can effectively deliver the malaria vaccine to children, some of whom have not been able to access an insecticide-treated bed net or other malaria prevention measures,” said Dr Katherine O’Brien, WHO Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals.
“This vaccine may be key to making malaria prevention more equitable and to saving more lives,” O’Brien added.
Over 1.7 million doses of the world’s first malaria vaccine have been administered in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, benefitting more than 650,000 children with additional malaria protection.
RTS,S is the first and only vaccine that has been shown to reduce malaria in children, including life-threatening severe malaria, related hospital admissions and the need for blood transfusions, according to the WHO.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through mosquito bites. Although preventable and curable, the World Health Organization estimates there were 229 million cases worldwide in 2019 and 409,000 deaths.
The sickness starts with indications such as fever, headaches and chills and, without treatment, can progress quickly to severe illness and often death.