The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggested on Monday the adoption of a second malaria vaccination to prevent the potentially fatal illness that some mosquitoes transmit to people.
“Almost exactly two years ago, W.H.O. recommended the broad use of the world’s first malaria vaccine called RTS,S,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned during a press briefing in Geneva.
“Today, it gives me great pleasure to announce that WHO is recommending a second vaccine called R21/Matrix-M to prevent malaria in children at risk of the disease.”
R21/Matrix-M, created by the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, will be made available in some African nations in early 2024 and in other nations in mid-2024, according to Tedros, who also noted that dosages will cost between $2 and $4.
“WHO is now reviewing the vaccine for prequalification, which is WHO stamp of approval, and will enable GAVI (a global vaccine alliance) and UNICEF to buy the vaccine from manufacturers,” Tedros added.
Tedros noted that the organisation has also advised youngsters between the ages of six and sixteen living in regions where dengue illness is a serious public health issue to receive the Qdenga dengue vaccine from Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
According to Hanna Nohynek, chair of the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation, Takeda’s vaccine has been demonstrated in clinical studies to be effective against all 4 strains of the virus in persons who have already contracted dengue.
She went on to say that there was still some doubt over how well it performed against stereotypes 3 and 4 in those who had not already contracted the disease.
Given that monovalent vaccinations that target the XBB.1.5 form, which is the predominant variety in many regions this year, are not readily available in many countries, the agency said that any monovalent or bivalent vaccine might be utilised.
