[VIDEO] Nigeria receives Gavi’s 846,000 doses of malaria vaccines

Nigeria has received the first batch of 846,000 doses of the R21 malaria vaccines from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

The unveiling of the vaccines on Thursday was attended by officials of the Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and development partners.

Minister of Health, Ali Pate, described the arrival of the vaccines as a groundbreaking milestone in the government’s efforts to eliminate malaria in the country.

Pate said the vaccines would first be distributed to states with the highest burden of the disease, particularly Kebbi and Bayelsa and would serve as a complement to other treatments for malaria.

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He also cleared the air on concerns about the efficacy of the vaccine, stating that it has proven to be safe and efficient for malaria treatment.

The Director General of the NPHCDA, Muyi Aina, explained the plans for distribution, adding that an enforcement team would be set up by the agency and the date and location for the administration of the vaccines would be communicated in due course.

Aina said about 140,000 doses are expected in the coming months as the target is to make available one million vaccines for the first batch.

The R21 malaria vaccine, which would be administered in two doses per vial, was produced by the Serum Institute of India.

As Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria carries the highest burden of malaria globally, accounting for approximately 27% of the global malaria burden and 31% of malaria deaths worldwide.

According to the 2023 World Malaria Report, nearly 200,000 deaths from malaria occurred in Nigeria.

Children under five and pregnant women are the most affected, with a national malaria prevalence rate of 22% in children aged 6-59 months as of 2021. In some regions, such as Kebbi State, this rate is as high as 49%.