GENEVA: United Nations’ health body has recommended Mosquirix, the first-ever malaria vaccine, against mosquito-borne disease for children in Africa in a historic move that could save tens of thousands of lives.
Mosquirix, also named RTS,S, has been ready for mass vaccination around 3 decades after the program was launched. It was created by GSK in 1987 and was subsequently tested with support and global health groups, including and Bill Gates Foundation.
A child dies from #malaria every two minutes.
One death is one too many.🚨 Today, WHO recommends RTS,S, a groundbreaking malaria vaccine, to reduce child illness & deaths in areas with moderate and high malaria transmission https://t.co/xSk58nTIV1#VaccinesWork pic.twitter.com/mSECLtRhQs
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 6, 2021
In terms of efficacy, Mosquirix prevents four in 10 cases of disease and three in 10 cases of severe, life-threatening infection caused by the deadliest malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, per reports.
Reports quoting WHO officials cited that this is the first vaccine developed against any disease caused by a parasite.
The global health body responsible for international public health said the vaccine is absolutely safe for international public health. Director-General WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “it was recommending the widespread application of the vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high malaria transmission”.
LIVE: Media briefing with @DrTedros on #malaria vaccine recommendations. #EndMalaria https://t.co/c5OjRTRPlK
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 6, 2021
Director WHO Global Malaria Programme Pedro Alonso termed it a “massive breakthrough” from a scientific perspective.
In the large-scale pilot project, at least 2.3 million doses have been administered to minors, mostly infants, in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi.
Delving into the details, WHO officials said around 94 percent of fresh cases and deaths were reported in Africa.
Meanwhile, Oxford scientists have made another vaccine – to curb the disease caused by plasmodium – named R21 or Matrix-M. The UK-made vaccine showed around 77 percent efficacy in a study that include around 450 minors, it is still in the trial stages for in-depth details.
With the historic moment against the disease, officials noted another challenge of creating and distributing the vaccines at the global level.
The tropical disease spread by mosquitoes is said to be far more deadly than novel coronavirus in Africa.
The infectious illness caused by various Plasmodium parasites gets transmitted to human bodies through infected mosquitoes while fever, chills, abdominal pain, vomiting, joint pain, and fatigue are some of the common side effects. The patient can also develop a severe infection if not treated within 24 hours.
Severe ill patients have around 90 percent risk of getting succumbed to disease if they do not seek medical care.
Around 400,000 people die of Malaria every year while the disease killed 409,000 people in 2019 and most of the deaths were reported from African region.
Here’s what a 113-year-old vaccination certificate from Ottoman Empire looks like
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