The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO) offers new perspectives in the fight against malaria, particularly in children living in high-risk areas. This new step marks a significant step forward in the search for a malaria-free future.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, poses a particularly heavy burden for children in the African region, where nearly 500,000 children die from the disease each year. Faced with this alarming reality, the WHO now recommends the use of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine in the prevention of malaria in children, in addition to other interventions to combat this disease.
This vaccine is the second after the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine to be prequalified by the WHO specifically for the prevention of malaria in children. Clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of these two vaccines, and their large-scale implementation is expected to have a significant impact on public health.
The prequalification of these vaccines by the WHO facilitates their access by expanding their availability. Indeed, prequalification is a prerequisite for the supply of vaccines by UNICEF and financial support for their deployment by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This also ensures that vaccines comply with international quality standards.
Until now, demand for malaria vaccines has been high but supply limited. With the prequalification of these two vaccines by WHO, supply is expected to increase to meet demand from African countries where malaria is a major public health problem. This will provide enough vaccine doses to benefit all children living in areas at high risk of malaria.
WHO highlights the importance of prequalification of vaccines to ensure their safety and effectiveness in global immunization programs. It also contributes to achieving a healthier and more resilient future for populations who have lived for too long in fear of the consequences of malaria on their children.
In conclusion, the prequalification of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine by the WHO constitutes a major advance in the fight against malaria in children. This step opens new opportunities to deliver more effective and broader prevention, and contributes to the ultimate goal of a malaria-free future. With these advances, we are closer than ever to protecting children’s lives and reducing the burden of malaria in affected regions.