Nigeria receives 846,000 doses of malaria vaccine

Nigeria has received 846,000 doses of a groundbreaking malaria vaccine from development partners to reduce the country’s high incidence of the disease, especially among children and other vulnerable groups.

Muhammad Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, announced during the event on Thursday in Abuja that the vaccines were expected to play a pivotal role in lowering malaria-related deaths.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that large clinical trials in Africa proved vaccine, RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) as effective in reducing contracting malaria cases and mortality among young children.

Malaria affects 97 per cent of Nigeria’s population. Its transmission occurs year-round in southern regions and lasts up to three months in the northern regions.

The primary malaria vectors are Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae, with Anopheles funestus playing a secondary role in some areas.

The vaccines come as Nigeria intensifies efforts to reduce malaria-related deaths under the National Malaria Strategic Plan (NMSP) 2021–2025.

Mr Pate, a professor, said the vaccine would significantly boost the country’s ongoing malaria elimination efforts.

“Our target is to prioritise regions most affected by malaria, particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare is limited,” he said.

He also said the vaccine rollout would begin in high-burden regions before expanding nationwide.

According to him, global health partners, including WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi, are providing technical and financial support to ensure the successful implementation of the vaccine.

“USAID and other partners are pushing for rapid scale-up beyond the initial two states, aiming for a nationwide rollout to cover all regions of the country”, he said.

Historic step

He said that the arrival of the malaria vaccine marked a historic step in the fight against malaria.

“With proper infrastructure, political will, and continued international collaboration, Nigeria is poised to make substantial progress in reducing the disease’s toll and moving toward malaria elimination,” he said.

Muyi Aino, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency announced that the initial rollout would target Bayelsa and Kebbi, chosen due to their high malaria burden and logistical challenges.

“In Bayelsa, which has significant riverine areas, reaching remote communities has been a challenge for health interventions.

“But, the strengthened healthcare systems and enhanced cold chain capabilities are expected to ensure the vaccine reaches even the most isolated populations,” he said.

Additional tool against Malaria

Eduardo Celades, UNICEF Chief of Health in Nigeria, said recent upgrades to the national cold store in Abuja have tripled its storage capacity, while the overall cold chain infrastructure across the country has doubled in the past year.

“This capacity-building effort ensures that vaccines remain potent and are safely distributed to health facilities nationwide,” Mr Celades said.

He added that the malaria vaccine is a significant addition to Nigeria’s toolbox for combating malaria, alongside seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) and other preventative measures.

The WHO representative in Nigeria, Walter Mulombo, expressed optimism about the vaccine’s potential to save lives.

“We are confident that this vaccine, in combination with other preventive measures, will drastically reduce the burden of malaria in Nigeria and help us move closer to achieving the goal of a malaria-free Africa”, he said.

Gbenga Mokuolu, National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), hailed the vaccine as a game-changer.

He, however, cautioned that it must be paired with continued investment in healthcare infrastructure and education.

“The vaccine is not a magic bullet. Sustained efforts, including awareness campaigns and improved healthcare delivery, will be key to ensuring that benefits of the vaccine reach every corner of the country,” Mr Mokuolu said.

The long wait

In May, PREMIUM TIMES reported that three other West African countries – Liberia, Sierra Leone and Benin – came ahead in the roll-out of anti-malaria vaccines. This newspaper reported that the three countries, with lesser malaria burden than Nigeria, rolled out in April thousands of doses of an anti-malaria vaccine for infants between 5 and 17 months old.

Nigeria lagged despite carrying the highest global burden of the disease.

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PREMIUM TIMES found that Nigeria missed out on the April rollout because the malaria vaccine designated for deployment in Nigeria by GAVI was not ready for distribution.

The GAVI Head of Malaria Vaccine, Scott Gordon, told this newspaper in May that the three countries which began deployment of doses of malaria vaccine to their children were those who received RTS,S- the vaccine that was ready for distribution at the time.

He said countries were matched with the vaccines based on cost alongside their level of demand, and that Nigeria, among other countries, was matched with the R21 vaccine.

Mr Scott noted that GAVI considered the R21 vaccine best suited for Nigeria based on the country’s needs and plans, as presented in its proposal to GAVI.

However, the batch of vaccine about to be delivered to Nigeria is from WHO, which has opted for the RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) for the country.

(NAN)