Uganda has started the world’s biggest malaria vaccination campaign as the East African country battles one of the highest global incidences of the disease.
On April 2, the country’s Ministry of Health announced that it had launched a vaccination campaign in the northerly Apac District, initially targeting 1.1 million children aged under two years old, with plans to expand nationwide.
“I urge all parents and caregivers to ensure that children aged six to 18 months receive the malaria vaccine at the nearest health facility,” said Dr Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, Uganda’s Minister of Health, in a press statement.
The first country to integrate malaria vaccination into its routine immunisation programme was Cameroon at the start of 2024, and Uganda is the 19th country in Africa to introduce it into its vaccine schedule.
Uganda, where almost three quarters of the population lives in areas with significant risk of malaria, will administer the R21/Matrix-M vaccine, produced by the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute in collaboration with the Serum Institute of India.
R21 received WHO recommendation in 2023, making it the second malaria jab available to countries after the organization cleared GlaxoSmithKline’s RTS,S jab in 2021.
Both vaccines target children as more than three quarters of malaria deaths occur in under-fives.
“This vaccine is a game-changer, and together we must ensure that every child receives it,” said Dr Kasonde Mwinga, WHO Representative to Uganda.
“By integrating the malaria vaccine into routine immunization, Uganda is taking a bold step to protect its children, save lives and secure a healthier future.”