Uganda launches largest malaria vaccine introduction to date
Malaria is the leading cause of illness and death among young children in Uganda, responsible for up to 33% of all outpatient visits, 22% of hospital admissions and 6% of deaths, according to 2023 data from WHO. In 2023, Uganda was among the top five African countries with the highest malaria burden, alongside Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia and Mozambique.
Yesterday, Uganda’s Ministry of Health, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) and Alliance partners UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), PATH and CHAI, started the roll out of a malaria vaccination campaign in Apac District, northern Uganda. This makes Uganda the 19th country in Africa to introduce the malaria vaccine into routine immunisation campaigns, and it is the largest malaria vaccine roll-out to date in terms of target districts and population.
The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, administered in four doses at 6, 7, 8 and 18 months, will initially target 1.1 million children aged under two years in 105 high- and moderate-transmission districts across Uganda, with plans to expand nationwide.
“The introduction of the vaccine marks a significant milestone in our fight against malaria. It is expected to prevent at least 800 cases of severe malaria among children every day and ease the financial burden on families, saving them approximately UGX 15,000 (USD 4.12) per case that would have been spent on treating severe malaria.”
The Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero
This marks a historic development in Uganda’s fight against malaria, and an important step towards protecting the most vulnerable against malaria. Researchers from Target Malaria recently published a mathematical modelling study evaluating the potential impact of gene drive technology on malaria incidence in West Africa, if combined to other malaria interventions like vaccines and new bed nets products. The results were very encouraging and indicate a 71.6%–98.4% reduction in mosquito populations, resulting in substantial malaria case reductions.
We are not yet at that stage, and the road may be long, but we will continue to work together to help end malaria in our lifetime!
