Hope as new malaria vaccine set to be rolled out next year
MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2017 20:38
BY STELLAR MURUMBA
Children under five years in Kenya will from next year receive the malaria vaccine said to reduce deaths from the disease by 40 per cent.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the vaccine has the potential of saving four children’s lives out of 10 possible deaths caused by malaria.
“Kenya’s planning of the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme is on track with roll out of the vaccine set to begin in 2018. The vaccine could have a considerable impact on public health as it has been tested and proven to prevent severe malaria by more than 30 per cent in the targeted age group,” said WHO representative to Kenya, Dr Rudi Eggers.
“Global safety experts have made it clear that when four doses of this vaccine are provided, the benefits... considerably outweigh the risks.”
The vaccine will be given to children during maternal and child health clinics through a four-dose approach at ages of six months, seven months, nine months and 24 months, says WHO.
“As with any new vaccine or drug, parents and families may have questions about vaccine safety. We will work with the country and independent experts to monitor safety closely and respond to any concerns,” Dr Eggers said.
This comes as at least 30 people mostly adults below 40 years and four children have died of malaria in Marsabit and Baringo counties in the past week.
The Director of Medical Services Dr Jackson Kioko said, however that the said cases “have not reached the public health threshold for classification as an outbreak”.
Kenya was selected together with Ghana and Malawi by WHO as the first African countries to begin piloting the injectable malaria vaccine next year.
The vaccine has been developed by GlaxoSmithKline, a pharmaceutical company and the $49 million for the first phase of the pilot is being provided by the global vaccine alliance GAVI, UNITAID and Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Last year, malaria was dislodged by pneumonia as the country’s top killer disease but it still remains a stubborn disease to cure globally.
Data from the Economic Survey show that malaria killed 16,000 people in the country last year. Pneumonia killed 21,295 in the same period.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2017 20:38
BY STELLAR MURUMBA
Children under five years in Kenya will from next year receive the malaria vaccine said to reduce deaths from the disease by 40 per cent.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the vaccine has the potential of saving four children’s lives out of 10 possible deaths caused by malaria.
“Kenya’s planning of the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme is on track with roll out of the vaccine set to begin in 2018. The vaccine could have a considerable impact on public health as it has been tested and proven to prevent severe malaria by more than 30 per cent in the targeted age group,” said WHO representative to Kenya, Dr Rudi Eggers.
“Global safety experts have made it clear that when four doses of this vaccine are provided, the benefits... considerably outweigh the risks.”
The vaccine will be given to children during maternal and child health clinics through a four-dose approach at ages of six months, seven months, nine months and 24 months, says WHO.
“As with any new vaccine or drug, parents and families may have questions about vaccine safety. We will work with the country and independent experts to monitor safety closely and respond to any concerns,” Dr Eggers said.
This comes as at least 30 people mostly adults below 40 years and four children have died of malaria in Marsabit and Baringo counties in the past week.
The Director of Medical Services Dr Jackson Kioko said, however that the said cases “have not reached the public health threshold for classification as an outbreak”.
Kenya was selected together with Ghana and Malawi by WHO as the first African countries to begin piloting the injectable malaria vaccine next year.
The vaccine has been developed by GlaxoSmithKline, a pharmaceutical company and the $49 million for the first phase of the pilot is being provided by the global vaccine alliance GAVI, UNITAID and Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Last year, malaria was dislodged by pneumonia as the country’s top killer disease but it still remains a stubborn disease to cure globally.
Data from the Economic Survey show that malaria killed 16,000 people in the country last year. Pneumonia killed 21,295 in the same period.
