Nigeria is set to become one of the first countries to roll out a new malaria vaccine after receiving an initial batch of 846,200 doses. The vaccine, developed by scientists at the University of Oxford in England, was produced by the Serum Institute of India and Novavax.
Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Muhammad Ali Pate, said the doses marked a significant step forward in the country’s efforts to eliminate malaria. Transmitted by mosquitoes that breed in water, malaria remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria, affecting about 97% of the population.
Nigeria is the country with the highest malaria burden, accounting for 31% of global deaths from the disease, according to the World Health Organization. Under the program, the inoculations, provided in partnership with the Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, will be administered free of charge.
The vaccine rollout will begin in two states with the highest malaria burden, Kebbi in the north and Bayelsa on the coast, before expanding to the entire country. An additional 153,800 doses are expected to arrive in Nigeria on 26 October, bringing the total number of vaccines available to one million.
This initiative marks a major step forward in the fight against malaria in Nigeria, offering hope for a future where the disease is no longer such a serious threat to the health of the population.