Malaria Vaccines Revolutionize Child Health in Ghana, Expand Across Africa

New malaria vaccines are driving down child deaths in Ghana and expanding across Africa, but funding cuts threaten further progress, according to recent reports from Gavi and the Japan Times. In Ghana, shots developed by British drugmaker GSK and by Oxford University with the Serum Institute of India have helped slash malaria mortality, building on bed nets and preventive drugs to approach the goal of zero child deaths from the disease, which kills nearly half a million young Africans yearly. Dr. Selorm Kutsoati, head of Ghana's immunization program, credits the vaccines with closing remaining gaps, as detailed in the Japan Times on February 2.

The World Health Organization reinforced this momentum in Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus's opening remarks at the 158th Executive Board session on February 2, announcing support for seven new countries to introduce malaria vaccines, raising the total to 24 nations. This rollout advances alongside efforts against other diseases, including HPV vaccination in 15 more countries and polio control, despite global challenges like antimicrobial resistance.

Fresh research bolsters the vaccines' promise. A phase 2 trial published February 5 in Malaria World tested the ProC6C-AlOH/Matrix-M vaccine in African adults with lifelong malaria exposure, evaluating its efficacy, safety, and ability to block Plasmodium falciparum infection and mosquito transmission.

Aid disruptions loom large, however. Gavi and Reuters warn that cutbacks by the Trump administration and other wealthy donors could limit access for children in malaria's epicenter, even as Ghana nears elimination targets. Meanwhile, in conflict-hit Mali, Gavi reports on February 3 that training all 76 community health workers in Djenné as vaccinators has boosted immunization rates amid insecurity, serving 41% of the district's population and improving equity—lessons that could aid malaria vaccine delivery in hard-to-reach areas.

These developments highlight vaccines like Mosquirix and R21/Matrix-M as game-changers, available in Africa per Vax-Before-Travel updates, amid calls from the Center for Global Development for simplified global funding to sustain the fight.

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI