Ivory Coast Launches a Children-Focused Malaria Vaccination Campaign

Health professionals in Ivory Coast started immunizing children against malaria on Monday. Malaria is the primary cause of mortality for children in the nation, and the government has added the vaccine to the list of recommended childhood immunizations.

In an attempt to vaccinate roughly 250,000 children under two, the West African nation became the first to use the most recent malaria vaccination.

The government’s commitment to investing in the health of our children, who are our greatest assets, is demonstrated by this decision, according to Pierre Demba, the health minister, who made the announcement during a ceremony to officially launch the immunization program.

“They are our nation’s future, so we want to ensure their safety and well-being,” he continued.

Oxford University in Britain created the three-dose vaccine known as R21/Matrix-M, which the World Health Organization (WHO) approved in October of last year.

Alice Kanga was among the numerous parents who brought their kids to receive vaccinations.

She stated, “It’s really important for the kids’ health.”

The WHO approved Mosquirix, a new malaria vaccine, in 2021; however, it needed four shots and the vaccine’s effectiveness diminished in a few of months.

The Oxford vaccine has already been produced in 25 million doses by India’s Serum Institute, which expects to produce at least 100 million annually.