The federal government on Thursday received one million doses of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine donated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
It is the first-ever malaria vaccine delivered to the federal government, ahead of the rollout in the country.
Speaking during the handover ceremony in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the arrival of the malaria vaccine was a monumental step in the country’s efforts to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality.
He said, “With the support of UNICEF, Gavi, and WHO, we are on a path toward achieving our goal of a malaria-free Nigeria.”
He said vaccines helped prevent diseases from happening, adding that they also provided an opportunity for every child to live a healthy life.
He said, “Every child that has full course of the vaccine has an opportunity to live a healthy life. A child that is immunised against a 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.”
While saying that the vaccines were safe and effective, he enjoined Nigerians to utilise the opportunity to get their children and wards vaccinated against malaria.
The executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Muyi Aina, said Nigeria was among the top 10 contributors to the global burden of malaria, accounting for approximately 27% of the global burden and 31% of malaria deaths worldwide.
He said in 2022, nearly 200,000 deaths from malaria occurred in Nigeria. Children under five years of age, and pregnant women were the most affected, with a national malaria prevalence rate of 22% in children aged 6-59 months as of 2021.
He said, “The vaccine would quicken our malaria control and elimination efforts, as we expect about 13% reduction in all-cause mortality in children under five and a 22% reduction in hospitalized severe malaria cases.”
He highlighted that the WHO recommends prioritization of the vaccine in areas of high to moderate transmission and this is guiding our phased introduction strategy.
Dr Aina said consequently, Nigeria will commence the first phase of the malaria vaccine roll out in November, in two States – Kebbi and Bayelsa, with high prevalence of malaria.
He added that Kebbi was chosen because it has the highest prevalence rate in the country (52%); while Bayelsa was selected because its target population of 69,935, and that of Kebbi’s 162,014, aligns with the one million doses available for the phase.
He said the vaccine will be administered to children aged five months to 15 months as part of Routine Immunization. “Each child requires four doses, given at 5, 6, 7, and 15 months of age, to be fully protected.
“The introduction will be expanded to other States and integrated into our national routine immunization schedule, as we receive additional doses. The second phase will target 19 States and FCT, while the third phase will target the remaining 15 States. Both phases are scheduled for 2025,” he added.
Meanwhile a joint statement from UNICEF, GavI, the World Health Organization ( WHO) and NPHCDA today said the historic handover of the vaccines marks 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.
The Statement said Nigeria’s 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).
It added that the introduction of the malaria vaccine marks another powerful tool in the country’s comprehensive strategy to combat the disease.
UNICEF and Gavi have played crucial roles in supporting the procurement and distribution of the vaccines. The cost of vaccines, transport and administration are supported by Gavi and the Government of Nigeria, with UNICEF responsible for procurement and shipment, and working with WHO to support administration.
Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria said, “This is a landmark moment in our collective mission to save lives and protect children from preventable diseases like malaria,” said 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.
Tokunbo Oshin, Director of High Impact Countries, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance said, “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.
“We look forward to working with the government of Nigeria, WHO, UNICEF, the Global Fund, civil society and other partners towards a successful rollout.”
Dr. Walter Mulombo, WHO Representative in Nigeria said, “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.”
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