WHO approves ’long-awaited’ malaria vaccine
The World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed the first malaria vaccine for Malaria.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, announced this development during a press briefing on Wednesday.
The recommendation followed a two-year vaccine programme that involved children in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi.
Speaking on the recommendation, Ghebreyesus expressed optimism that the vaccine will improve efforts on malaria prevention in Africa.
He said: “This is a historic moment. The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control.
“Using this vaccine on top of existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of young lives each year.”
He added that the vaccine could be rolled out across sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high malaria transmission.
