Nigeria set to receive 1st shipment of malaria vaccines

Thursday, October 17, 2024 - Nigeria will receive its first shipment of the anticipated malaria vaccines on Thursday, October 17, a significant step in the west-African country’s fight against one of its deadliest diseases.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) announced that the vaccines would be received in Abuja by Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.

The arrival of the vaccines is an initiative by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to distribute malaria vaccines to high-burden countries across Africa.

The NPHCDA said the country would officially unveil the malaria vaccines on Thursday to help protect children from the life-threatening disease.

The government has developed a strategic distribution plan to prioritise regions most affected by malaria, particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare is limited.

The expected vaccines, known as RTS, S/AS01 (Mosquirix), have been proven to reduce malaria cases and mortality among young children in large clinical trials across Africa.

 Nigeria will be the third African country to introduce the vaccine, following Ghana and Kenya, which began using the vaccine in 2023.