The World Health Organization (WHO) rated the malaria vaccine as “safe and effective,” resulting in “significant reductions in severe malaria.”
Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the United Nations, stated in New York that the new vaccination had also contributed to a decrease in child fatalities.
“The RTS,S vaccine, the first malaria vaccine, has already been administered to almost 1.6 million children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi. It has been demonstrated to be safe and effective, leading in a significant decrease in severe malaria and a decrease in child fatalities “WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus made the announcement.
The director for Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals also warned that despite this new “tool in the toolbox”, “its important to remember that nearly every minute a child dies of malaria”.
“I think it’s really important to remember nearly every minute a child dies of malaria, and the introduction of malaria vaccine as another tool, an additional tool in the toolbox to fight against the severe disease, the deaths that occur, is a really essential step forward”, added Katherine O’Brien, WHO Director of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals.
According to previous UN studies, climate change is allowing an increase in the number of mosquitoes carrying malaria-like diseases.
