NIGERIA has received a fresh supply of R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine as part of efforts to curb the deadly disease that continues to claim thousands of lives across the country yearly.
The donation made by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is part of an initiative by the global health organisations and the Nigerian government to expand access to life-saving vaccines and reduce malaria burden nationwide.
The hand-over ceremony took place on Thursday, October 17, in Abuja with a million dose donated to the Nigerian government, according to Punch.
Caused by parasites transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, malaria is a preventable and curable major public health issue affecting millions of Nigerians.
The disease, mostly found in tropical countries, can be life-threatening, with nearly half of the world and 97 per cent of Nigeria’s population at risk of the disease.
Nigeria (26.6 per cent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12.3 per cent), Uganda (5.1 per cent), Mozambique (4.1 per cent) and Angola (3.4 per cent) collectively represented half of the total malaria cases worldwide.
Also, Nigeria (31.3 per cent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12.6 per cent), Tanzania (4.1 per cent), and Niger (3.9 per cent) together account for slightly more than half of all malaria-related deaths worldwide.
During the handover ceremony in Abuja, the Executive Director and chief executive officer of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Muyi Aina, noted that children under five and pregnant women were the most affected with the disease.
“Nigeria is among the top ten contributors to the global burden of malaria, accounting for approximately 27 per cent of the global burden and 31 per cent of malaria deaths worldwide. In 2022, nearly 200,000 deaths from malaria occurred in Nigeria. Children under five years of age, and pregnant women are the most affected, with a national malaria prevalence rate of 22 per cent in children aged six to 59 months as of 2021.
“The vaccine would quicken our malaria control and elimination efforts, as we expect about 13 per cent reduction in all-case mortality in children under five and a 22 per cent reduction in hospitalised severe malaria cases. WHO recommends prioritisation of the vaccine in areas of high to moderate transmission and this is guiding our phased introduction strategy,” he said.
According to him, the first phase of the vaccination will commence in Kebbi and Bayelsa states in November, explaining further that Kebbi has the highest prevalence rate in the country (52 per cent).
“Bayelsa is selected due its target population of 69,935, and that of Kebbi’s 162,014, aligns with the one million doses available for this phase, thereby ensuring that the vaccine supply is effectively utilised.
“The vaccine will be administered to children aged five months to 15 months as part of routine immunisation. Each child requires four doses, given at 5, 6, 7, and 15 months of age, to be fully protected. The introduction will be expanded to other states and integrated into our national routine immunisation schedule, as we receive additional doses,” he said.
Aina further stated that the second phase of the administration would target 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while the third phase would target the remaining 15 states.
According to him, both phases are scheduled for 2025.
“To ensure a successful roll-out, we have established an elaborate cross-programme coordinating mechanism that brings together key stakeholders and expertise in the malaria and immunisation space at the national, and subnational levels.
“The team has developed a robust and responsive demand generation strategy that is citizen-centred and recognises the needs and expectations of stakeholders at all levels, including caregivers, community gatekeepers and front-line health workers,” Aina said.
In October 2023, the World Health Organisation recommended widespread use of the R21 malaria vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.
The R21 malaria vaccine was pre qualified by WHO in December 2023. The vaccine is said to target the plasmodium ‘sporozoites’, which is the first form of the malaria parasite entering the human body.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M