Ghana has become the first country to approve a new malaria vaccine, R21, which has shown up to 80% efficacy in preliminary studies. In this article, you can read all about the new malaria vaccine, R21 and malaria, important topics for the IAS exam health segment of GS 2.
R21/Matrix-M Vaccine
The R21/Matrix-M vaccine is a new malaria vaccine developed by the University of Oxford.
- The vaccine appears to be highly effective, with preliminary studies in Burkina Faso showing up to 80% effectiveness when given in three initial doses and a booster a year later.
- A larger trial involving nearly 5,000 children is ongoing, with results expected to be published soon. However, Ghana’s drug regulators have assessed the final trial data and have approved the vaccine’s use in children aged 5 months to 3 years old.
- Other African countries and the World Health Organization are also studying the data.
- The Serum Institute of India is preparing to produce between 100-200 million doses per year, with a vaccine factory being constructed in Accra, Ghana.
- Each dose of R21 is expected to cost a couple of dollars.
Impact of Ghana Approving R21 Vaccine:
- Potential to save lives: The approval of the R21 vaccine in Ghana can save many lives, especially among children under five years old, who are at the greatest risk of dying from malaria.
- Significant progress in the fight against malaria: The vaccine has been described as a “world-changer” by the scientists who developed it, and its approval in Ghana represents significant progress in the fight against malaria, a disease that has been a major global public health challenge for decades.
- Hope for other countries: The approval of the vaccine in Ghana has given hope to other African countries that are also studying the data, as well as to the World Health Organization, which is considering approving the vaccine.
- Boost for vaccine research: The approval of the R21 vaccine in Ghana is also a boost for vaccine research, as it demonstrates that it is possible to develop an effective vaccine against malaria, a disease that has been notoriously difficult to tackle.
- Affordable cost: Each dose of the vaccine is expected to cost a couple of dollars, making it an affordable option for countries where malaria is endemic.
- Potential for production at scale: The Serum Institute of India is preparing to produce between 100-200 million doses per year, with a vaccine factory being constructed in Accra, Ghana. This means that the vaccine can be produced at scale and made available to people in countries where it is needed the most.
- Malaria is a potentially life-threatening parasitic disease caused by the parasites Plasmodium viviax (P.vivax), Plasmodium falciparum (P.falciparum), Plasmodium malariae (P.malariae), and Plasmodium ovale (P.ovale).
- It is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito.
- Malaria remains one of the world’s leading killers, with one child dying every two minutes, according to the WHO.
- Most deaths occur in Africa, where over 250,000 children die from the disease annually.
- Children under the age of five are at the highest risk for severe complications from the disease.
- Malaria is a constant threat in African communities, particularly to the poorest children who have limited access to health facilities.
Conclusion: The approval of the R21 vaccine by Ghana marks a significant step towards reducing malaria mortality in children, particularly in Africa, where the disease burden is highest. This is a crucial development towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing malaria deaths. India, which is heavily burdened by malaria, can benefit greatly from this vaccine in future.
R21 Malaria Vaccine:- Download PDF Here
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