The Gavi Vaccine Alliance announced Wednesday that nearly 10 million doses of the malaria vaccine were delivered to Africa during the first year of routine immunization across the continent.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, kills nearly 600,000 people annually, with the vast majority of deaths occurring in Africa, particularly among children, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Between 2019 and 2023, a pilot phase in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi saw over two million children vaccinated with the RTS, S vaccine, resulting in significant reductions in severe malaria cases and hospitalizations. The pilot also led to a 13% drop in mortality, WHO reported. RTS, S, along with the R21/Matrix-M vaccine, is now recommended by WHO for malaria vaccination.
Following the pilot, routine vaccination began in those three countries and 14 others, starting in Cameroon in January 2024. Gavi reported that more than 9.8 million doses have been delivered since then, with an estimated five million children now receiving partial protection. The vaccination program aims to administer four doses per child, focusing on reaching those most at risk in every country.
Gavi highlighted "promising early results" in Cameroon, where there have been reductions in malaria-related deaths among children under five. "In a high-burden country like Cameroon, where malaria causes over 13,000 deaths annually and accounts for nearly 30% of all hospital visits, every reduction in cases and deaths saves lives," said Gavi chief Sania Nishtar.
Malaria remains a major burden in Africa, which accounts for about 94% of global malaria cases and 95% of malaria deaths, according to WHO. In 2023, there were 263 million reported malaria cases, up from 252 million in 2022. However, the death toll slightly decreased from 600,000 in 2022 to 597,000 in 2023. More than half of these deaths occurred in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Tanzania, with children under five representing around 76% of all malaria fatalities in Africa.
Gavi also announced plans to expand the vaccination program into up to eight additional African countries this year, aiming to protect an additional 13 million children. From 2026 to 2030, Gavi seeks to help countries protect another 50 million children with four doses of the malaria vaccine.
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