Malaria Vaccine Pilot Evaluation (MVPE) researchers generate scientific data and evidence to demonstrate that RTS,S/AS01E malaria vaccine introduced through national immunization programmes substantially reduce deadly severe malaria and drop in child hospitalizations.

March 09, 2024 | News | Reading time: 2 min

A study coordinated by World Health Organization in collaboration with Ministries of Health, research institutions and universities in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, United Kingdom, Australia and USA has shown that RTS,S/AS01E (RTS,S) malaria vaccine introduced into the routine health system is feasible, safe and effective, and substantially reduces hospital admission with severe malaria.

Malaria remains a major cause of illness and death in children under five years particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where over 90 cases and deaths occur. In 2021, an estimated 247 million malaria cases and 619 000 malaria deaths were reported globally with majority of them in Africa Children. New tools are urgently needed to reduce the malaria burden. The RTS,S vaccine is the first and only vaccine that has been shown to provide protection against malaria in children in phase 3 trials.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and Unitaid funded study, published recently in The Lancet, prospectively evaluated 652 673 children who had received at least one dose of RTS,S and 494 745 children with three doses in the first 2 years of implementation of RTS,S in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi to assess the feasibility of administering the recommended 4 doses of the vaccine in children, the vaccine’s potential role in reducing childhood deaths; and its safety. Noting the effective deployment of the vaccine through national immunization programmes. The study confirmed that the vaccine is safe and effective, and substantially reduces hospital admission with severe malaria.

Lead author Dr Kwaku Poku Asante from the Kintampo Health Research Centre of Research and Development Division of Ghana Health Service said the research was essential to demonstrate that RTS,S can be implemented into the routine system.

Link to the article: https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1itFzV-4XOqOl