Ghana has made history by becoming the first country to approve a new malaria vaccine that has been dubbed a “world-changer” by its developers.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the vaccine, known as R21, has shown to be highly effective, which is a significant breakthrough in the fight against malaria.
Preliminary trial data from Burkina Faso demonstrated that the R21 vaccine was up to 80% effective when given as three initial doses, with a booster administered a year later.
Reports also has it that Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority has reviewed the data and authorized the vaccine’s use for children aged between five months and three years old.
The World Health Organization is examining the vaccine’s data and considering its approval. Also, other African countries are studying the data.
The Serum Institute of India is gearing up to manufacture between 100-200 million doses per year, with a vaccine factory being constructed in Accra, Ghana. Each dose is expected to cost a couple of dollars, making it an affordable option for people living in low-income areas.
Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute, said: “Developing a vaccine to greatly impact this huge disease burden has been extraordinarily difficult.”
He added that Ghana, as the first country to approve the vaccine, represents a “significant milestone in our efforts to combat malaria around the world”.
Malaria claims the lives of around 620,000 people annually, with young children being the most vulnerable. Developing a vaccine to protect against the malaria parasite has been a massive, century-long scientific undertaking.
