Geneva – Unitaid warmly welcomes the allocation of 18 million doses of the first-ever malaria vaccine to 12 African countries for the 2023-2025 period. This significant development marks a major milestone in our collective efforts to improve access to health innovations and combat one of Africa’s deadliest diseases.
In 2021, nearly half a million African children lost their lives to malaria. We must leverage the power of health innovation to address this pressing challenge. Unitaid is proud to support the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP) – along with the Global Fund, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Through this programme, we have generated essential evidence to support the recommendation of the malaria vaccine by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2021. Through the MVIP, the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine has been administered to over 1.7 million children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi. Its rollout demonstrated the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness in reducing severe malaria.
With the allocation of 18 million doses to 12 African countries*, access to this life-saving vaccine will be extended through routine immunization programmes. By placing emphasis on regions with the most pressing requirements, we are making progress in curbing fatalities related to malaria and safeguarding vulnerable communities, especially young children below five years old who face the gravest burden of the disease. Unitaid firmly believes that equitable access to health innovations is essential in the global fight against malaria. We are proud to have funded and continue to fund projects that enhance coverage of antimalarial preventive treatments for pregnant women and young children, supported vector control strategies, and improved screening and treatment for relapsing malaria. Our investments aim to optimise use and catalyse uptake of existing tools and support new products to build a comprehensive arsenal against this preventable and treatable disease.
“Expanding access to vaccines for malaria is crucial as we strive to reach the global malaria targets by 2030,” said Dr Philippe Duneton, Unitaid’s Executive Director. “We must intensify our efforts in regions where the burden of malaria remains high, employing a tailored approach based on local evidence and stratification.”
The vaccine is an important tool in the core package of WHO-recommended measures for malaria prevention – including routine use of insecticide-treated bed nets, indoor spraying with insecticides, malaria chemoprevention strategies, and the timely use of malaria testing and treatment. We call on all stakeholders to swiftly support crucial innovations that can prevent loss of life from malaria. Unitaid is unwavering in its commitment to drive progress, strengthen partnerships, and expand access to life-saving interventions. We require US$1.5 billion by 2027 to continue our mission. Support Unitaid to save lives faster.
* Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone, Uganda.
