An evaluation of the cluster-randomised pilot implementation of RTS,S/AS01 through routine health systems in Ghana: A Post-Authorization Observation Study

November 02, 2020 | News | Reading time: 3 min

Funder:World Health Organization
Start Date: 25-02-2019
End Date: 30-06-2023

The RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine is being introduced sub-nationally in phased pilot introductions by the EPI in Ghana. Vaccine introduction was done by the Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service in selected districts and municipalities randomly assigned to receive the vaccine at the beginning of the pilots. Independent of the vaccine introduction is the evaluation component called Malaria Vaccine Pilot Evaluation (MVPE) involving observational evaluations during early vaccine introduction, include a series of 3 household surveys, and sentinel hospital and community mortality surveillance, building on routine systems.

The observational evaluations will measure:
1. The programmatic feasibility of delivering a 4 dose RTS,S malaria vaccine schedule;
2. Safety in routine use, with focus on cerebral malaria and meningitis;
3. The impact of the malaria vaccine in routine use on severe malaria and all-cause mortality

The benefits of RTS,S/AS01 were demonstrated in the presence of high Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) coverage and where the identification and treatment of clinical and severe malaria episodes was optimized. The enhanced access to good quality curative services likely limited disease progression and precluded the measurement of vaccine impact on mortality. However, modelling suggests 1 life may be saved per 200 children vaccinated with 4 doses of RTS,S/AS01 outside trial settings in moderate to high transmission settings