: Millions more children to benefit from world’s first malaria vaccine: UNICEF #IndiaNEWS #International The pharmaceutical company GSK has been awarded a contract to produce the world’s first malaria

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Millions more children to benefit from world’s first malaria vaccine: UNICEF #IndiaNEWS #International
The pharmaceutical company GSK has been awarded a contract to produce the world’s first malaria vaccine so that millions more children will be protected against the killer disease, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced on Tuesday.  
 





The landmark award, valued at up to 0 million, will lead to 18 million doses of the RTS,S vaccine being available over the next three years, potentially saving thousands of young lives annually.   



The delivery of this malaria vaccine will bring hope to so many families.
In 2020, nearly half a million children died from malaria in Africa alone, a rate of one death per minute. t. co/Lcs5bAO2kX
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) August 16, 2022


Malaria remains one of the biggest killers of children under five.   In 2020, nearly half a million boys and girls died from the disease in Africa alone, a rate of one death every minute.
‘Giant step forward’ 
Etleva Kadilli, Director of UNICEF’s Supply Division, said the rollout sends a clear message to malaria vaccine developers to continue their work.  
“We hope this is just the beginning. Continued innovation is needed to develop new and next-generation vaccines to increase available supply, and enable a healthier vaccine market,� she said.  
“This is a giant step forward in our collective efforts to save children’s lives and reduce the burden of malaria as part of wider malaria prevention and control programmes�.  
Preventable disease 
Malaria is caused by parasites and transmitted to humans through infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. While the disease is preventable and curable, it can be fatal if left untreated.   
More than 30 countries have areas with moderate to high malaria transmission, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), and the vaccine could provide added protection to more than 25 million children each year once supply ramps up.  
The RTS,S malaria vaccine – the result of 35 years of research and development – is the first-ever vaccine against a parasitic disease.  
Pilot programme 
It was launched in a 2019 pilot programme, coordinated by WHO, in three countries – Ghana, Kenya and Malawi – which has reached more than 800,000 children.  
Last October, the UN health agency recommended its widespread use in countries with moderate to high malaria transmission.    
That December, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, took the decision to provide funding for malaria vaccine programmes in eligible countries, thus opening the pathway for broader roll-out of the vaccine.  


GAVI
Children in Kenya are the most vulnerable to Malaria infections.

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