The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the use of a new vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, to protect children against malaria. This recommendation comes after the approval of the vaccine by the WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, following guidance from the WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG). The recommendation was made during the WHO's regular biannual meeting held in September.
Dr. Tedros expressed his excitement about having two safe and effective malaria vaccines, stating, "As a malaria researcher, I used to dream of the day we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now we have two." He emphasized the importance of the R21 vaccine as an additional tool to protect more children and bring the world closer to a malaria-free future.
The R21/Matrix-M vaccine is the second malaria vaccine endorsed by the WHO, following the approval of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine in 2021. Both vaccines have demonstrated safety and effectiveness in preventing malaria in children. The inclusion of the R21 vaccine in the WHO's list of recommended malaria vaccines is expected to address the shortage of vaccines and extend their benefits to all children in regions where malaria is a public health threat.
Malaria, transmitted through mosquito bites, poses a significant burden on children in the African Region, where nearly half a million children die from the disease each year. The WHO African Region bears a disproportionate burden of global malaria cases, with approximately 95% of all cases and 96% of malaria-related deaths occurring in the region in 2021. Children under the age of 5 account for about 80% of all malaria deaths in the African Region.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, highlighted the significance of the recommendation for the continent, stating, "The second vaccine has the potential to bridge the substantial gap between supply and demand." The widespread use of these two vaccines has the potential to strengthen efforts in preventing and controlling malaria, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of young lives in Africa.
According to the latest WHO malaria report, there were 247 million cases of malaria reported in 2021, with an estimated 619,000 malaria-related deaths. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had an impact on malaria, causing disruptions that led to an additional 13 million malaria cases and 63,000 more malaria-related deaths between 2020 and 2021.
The WHO's recommendation for the use of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine is a significant step in the fight against malaria. With the availability of two safe and effective vaccines, efforts to protect children and work towards a malaria-free future can be accelerated.
