Cameroon Begins World's First Routine Childhood Malaria Vaccinations

The rollout, using the RTS,S vaccine, is expected to expand swiftly across Africa, with a second vaccine, R21, set to become available later this year.

Cameroon has begun the world's first routine childhood malaria immunizations using a vaccine called RTS,S or Mosquirix, made by GlaxoSmithKline.
The vaccine targets sporozoites, the transmissible forms of the malaria parasite, and neutralizes them before they can enter the liver and multiply.
Despite efforts to eradicate mosquitos carrying the Plasmodium falciparum parasite and the use of protective nets and insecticides, malaria still killed 608,000 people in 2022, 95% of the fatalities were in Africa.
The rollout is expected to expand swiftly with twelve African countries set to receive a combined total of 18 million doses of RTS,S over the next two years through Gavi, the vaccine alliance.
A second malaria vaccine called R21, developed by scientists at the University of Oxford, may help make up the shortfall and is expected to become available in either May or June 2024.