Malawi Mothers Defy Myths, Boost Malaria Vaccine Uptake Amid African Innovations

In rural Lilongwe, Malawi, mothers like Audeta Phiri are crossing rivers and defying myths to vaccinate their children against malaria, according to UNICEF Malawi's report on January 16. At Chileka Health Centre, health workers vaccinated over 3,000 children in 2025, surpassing targets through community training and engagement with volunteers and traditional leaders, though religious fears and misconceptions persist.

On January 19, the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking announced 36 new projects funded with 215 million euros to tackle health priorities in sub-Saharan Africa, including three under the malaria therapeutics call for new antimalarial candidates. Grant agreements are set for early 2026, with details forthcoming after signing.

Replicate Bioscience secured a roughly 3.5 million dollar grant to develop a low-dose, multigenic srRNA-based malaria vaccine platform, as reported by Malariaworld, aiming to advance next-generation immunization tools.

A study published January 19 in Science Translational Medicine, led by QIMR Berghofer researchers and covered by Medical Xpress, found the blood disorder drug ruxolitinib safe and effective in reducing inflammation during experimental Plasmodium falciparum infections. In a trial of 20 healthy volunteers, it lowered severity markers and boosted immunity against reinfection when added to standard antimalarials, offering hope for severe cases despite current vaccines' limitations.

These developments highlight ongoing momentum against malaria, which killed over 600,000 last year, mostly young African children per WHO data. Amid funding flats for U.S. malaria programs in the FY 2026 bill noted by KFF, grassroots efforts and innovations signal progress in vaccine uptake and novel therapies.

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