Ivory Coast Launches Malaria Vaccination Campaign for Children

Ivory Coast has started vaccinations against malaria, the leading cause of child deaths in the country, as the government added the vaccine to routine vaccination lists.

The West African country is the first to roll out the newest shot targeting malaria, aiming to cover about 250,000 children under two. The three-dose vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, was developed by Britain’s Oxford University and approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) last October.

The vaccine is crucial for the health of children and pregnant women, as it is the leading cause of death in children under five and pregnant women. India’s Serum Institute has already made 25 million doses of the Oxford vaccine and plans to make at least 100 million every year.

Malaria most often attacks children under five and pregnant women, with over 94% of the world’s 249 million malaria cases and 608,000 deaths occurring in Africa. Dr. Fatim Tall, acting WHO Representative in Ivory Coast, stated that the vaccine will guarantee children’s survival beyond their first birthday and into adulthood in good health.