The news shows a major breakthrough in the fight against malaria in Burkina Faso. Indeed, the government recently launched a vaccination campaign using the RTS,S vaccine, in the town of Koudougou. This initiative is part of the country’s expanded routine immunization program and aims to protect the most vulnerable children, aged five months, against this deadly disease.
Malaria is a scourge that particularly affects Burkina Faso, with nearly 11 million cases recorded this year, including 5,000 deaths. Children under the age of five are the most affected by this disease, hence the importance of this targeted vaccination campaign. Dr. Robert Kargougou, Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, underlines the historic importance of this initiative, which will significantly reduce the number of cases and deaths linked to malaria in the country.
The RTS,S vaccine has already undergone pilot phases in other countries, such as Ghana, Malawi and Kenya, and has shown promising results in terms of safety and effectiveness. Professor Halidou Tinto, one of the main players in this vaccination campaign, explains that this vaccine makes it possible to reduce by at least a third the cases of serious malaria in children under five years old, who are the most exposed to complications. of the disease.
For this first phase of the campaign, more than 218,000 children aged 5 months will be vaccinated in 27 health districts located in the regions most affected by malaria. These districts were chosen based on the severity of the disease and the high number of related deaths. This first step marks the start of an intensive fight against malaria in Burkina Faso.
In conclusion, the vaccination campaign with the RTS,S vaccine is a major step forward in the fight against malaria in Burkina Faso. It will protect the most vulnerable children from this deadly disease and significantly reduce the number of cases and deaths in the country. This initiative is one more step towards the eradication of malaria and the protection of the health of the Burkinabe population.