Nigeria has received its first shipment of malaria vaccines, marking a pivotal step in combating one of the country’s most lethal diseases.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) confirmed that the vaccines arrived in Abuja, thanks to efforts by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and WHO, where they were officially received by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate.
This delivery is part of a World Health Organization (WHO) initiative aimed at supplying malaria vaccines to high-burden African countries. As one of the hardest-hit nations, Nigeria is expected to benefit significantly from this introduction, with the initial rollout focusing on vulnerable regions.
“We’ve secured some doses of this malaria vaccine which will be deployed to Bayelsa and Kebbi states so that we see how the rollout goes, and then in parallel, identify where the money is going to come from,” Pate explained.
The vaccines include RTS,S/AS01, known as Mosquirix, and the newly approved R21/Matrix-M, which has shown a promising 77% efficacy in initial trials. The pilot phase in Bayelsa and Kebbi will enable health authorities to assess the effectiveness of the deployment strategy before expanding to other high-burden areas nationwide.
Malaria remains a critical public health issue in Nigeria, affecting 97% of the population and accounting for 27% of all malaria cases and 31% of malaria deaths worldwide. The disease is transmitted year-round in southern regions and for up to three months in the north, primarily by Anopheles mosquitoes.
The government has outlined a distribution strategy prioritizing rural areas with limited access to healthcare. “Some doses of the R21 vaccine have been secured and will be deployed in Bayelsa and Kebbi states as part of a pilot rollout,” Pate confirmed, underscoring the significance of the new vaccine in Nigeria’s battle against malaria.
The estimated cost of covering the targeted population is $250 million, requiring further funding as the program expands. The NPHCDA noted that efforts will continue to raise the necessary funds and evaluate the rollout’s success before nationwide implementation.
Despite a decrease in malaria prevalence from 42% among children under five in 2010 to 23% in 2018, significant disparities persist. Rural areas have a higher prevalence rate of 31%, compared to 13% in urban regions. The National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) has launched initiatives like the High Burden High Impact (HBHI) approach, aiming to lower malaria prevalence below 10% and reduce mortality to fewer than 50 deaths per 1,000 people by 2025.
Public health experts expressed optimism that with the introduction of these vaccines and ongoing preventive measures, Nigeria could significantly reduce its malaria burden, moving closer to the vision of a malaria-free Africa.
The historic handover took place in Abuja, marking a critical milestone in the fight against malaria, a disease that continues to claim the lives of thousands of children under five every year in Nigeria. Nigeria has received its first shipment of 846,000 doses of the R21 malaria vaccine from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. An additional 140,000 doses are expected in the coming months, with a goal of securing one million doses in this initial phase.
Expressing his excitement, Minister Pate emphasized the importance of the vaccines in preventing malaria, stating that hundreds of thousands of lives are claimed by the disease annually, with children bearing the most burden.
“Every child that has full course of the vaccine has an opportunity to live a life of health. A child that is immunised against the disease has an opportunity to live a life free of that disease. So it’s a miracle, but it’s also a source of opportunity,” he added, affirming that the vaccines are “safe and efficacious.”
According to the 2023 World Malaria Report, Nigeria accounts for approximately 27% of the global malaria burden and 31% of malaria deaths worldwide, with nearly 200,000 deaths from malaria occurring in the country.
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, and as high as 49% in some regions, such as Kebbi State.
The Federal Ministry of Health has been leading critical malaria control interventions, including the distribution of Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Nets (LLINs) and Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC).
The introduction of the malaria vaccine adds another powerful tool in Nigeria’s comprehensive strategy to combat the disease.
“The arrival of the malaria vaccine is a monumental step in our national efforts to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality,” said Professor Muhammad Ali Pate. “With the support of UNICEF, Gavi, and WHO, we are on a path toward achieving our goal of a malaria-free Nigeria.”
The malaria vaccine, which requires four doses, will be administered to children under one year of age as part of Nigeria’s Routine Immunization schedule. The first phase of the rollout will begin in Kebbi and Bayelsa States in November 2024, with over 800,000 doses set to be distributed during this phase.
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UNICEF and Gavi have played crucial roles in supporting the procurement and distribution of the vaccines. The cost of the vaccines, transport, and administration is supported by Gavi and the Government of Nigeria, with UNICEF responsible for procurement and shipment, and collaborating with WHO for administration.
“This is a landmark moment in our collective mission to save lives and protect children from preventable diseases like malaria,” said Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria. “The introduction of this vaccine will be life-changing for millions of Nigerian families, especially in the regions most affected by malaria.”
Gavi emphasized the critical role of global collaboration in the fight against malaria: “Malaria remains one of Nigeria’s and Africa’s deadliest diseases, taking the lives of hundreds of thousands of children under the age of 5 each year.
Rolling out this vaccine, alongside the other powerful tools we have to fight this disease, represents a major step forward towards our goal of a malaria-free future,” said Tokunbo Oshin, Director of High Impact Countries, Gavi.
The malaria vaccine introduction aligns with Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme, which envisions a malaria-free future for the country. By combining the vaccine with existing interventions like LLINs and SMC, Nigeria is better positioned to make significant strides in reducing malaria transmission and deaths.
“We are confident that this vaccine in combination with other preventive measures will drastically reduce the burden of malaria in Nigeria and help us move closer to achieving the goal of a malaria free Africa,” said Dr. Walter Mulombo, WHO Representative in Nigeria.
