After a long search, two vaccines, RTS,S/AS01 and R21/Matrix-M, are being offered in routine immunisation in 25 countries. Vaccination matters because malaria caused 270 million cases and 595,000 deaths in 2024, and three quarters of those deaths were children under five. The vaccines give only partial protection and require four doses, so completing the schedule can be difficult.
Pilot programmes in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi showed that, when vaccines are combined with existing measures, child mortality fell by about 13 per cent. In Ghana, RTS,S began as a pilot in 2019 and R21 was added during scale-up; coordination between immunisation and malaria programmes helped delivery and safety messaging.
In Nigeria, RTS,S was introduced in 2024 and is being rolled out in selected high-burden states. WHO recommends both vaccines for children in areas of moderate to high transmission. Experts stress vaccines must be used with nets, seasonal chemoprevention and indoor spraying.
Difficult words
- immunisation — regular programme to give vaccines to peopleroutine immunisation
- schedule — planned times and doses for vaccinations
- programme — small test project before a wider usePilot programmes
- coordination — planning and working together to organise activities
- transmission — the passing of disease from person to person
- chemoprevention — use of medicine to prevent disease before infection
- scale-up — increase a project to reach more people
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think a four-dose vaccine schedule is difficult for families in your community? Why or why not?
- How can coordination between immunisation and malaria programmes help vaccine delivery where you live?
- Which of the other measures (nets, seasonal chemoprevention, indoor spraying) do you think is most useful locally, and why?
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