WHO approves Malaria vaccine for children

By Ritah Kemigisa

Children across much of Africa are to be vaccinated against malaria in a historic moment in the fight against the deadly disease.

Malaria has been one of the biggest scourges on humanity for millennia and mostly kills babies and infants.

Having a vaccine – after more than a century of trying – is among medicine’s greatest achievements.
The vaccine – called RTS, S – was proven effective six years ago.

Now, after the success of pilot immunization programmes in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi, the World Health Organization says the vaccine should be rolled out across sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high malaria transmission.

It is estimated that more than 260,000 children died from Malaria in 2019.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna