Kehinde Fajobi
The Federal Government has taken delivery of one million doses of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, donated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, at a handover ceremony on Thursday in Abuja.
In December 2023, the World Health Organization added the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine to its list of prequalified vaccines. By October 2023, WHO had recommended its use for preventing malaria in children, following advice from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group.
This prequalification allows for wider access to the vaccine as a key tool in preventing malaria among children. It is a prerequisite for vaccine procurement by UNICEF and funding support for deployment by Gavi. The R21 vaccine is the second malaria vaccine to receive WHO prequalification, following the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine in July 2022. Both vaccines have been proven safe and effective in clinical trials for preventing malaria in children.
At the handover ceremony, Dr. Muyi Aina, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said the arrival of the vaccines from Gavi demonstrates President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to safeguarding the lives of Nigerians.
Aina stated, “Nigeria is among the top ten contributors to the global burden of malaria, accounting for approximately 27 per cent of the global burden and 31 per cent of malaria deaths worldwide. In 2022, nearly 200,000 deaths from malaria occurred in Nigeria. Children under five years of age, and pregnant women are the most affected, with a national malaria prevalence rate of 22 per cent in children aged six to 59 months as of 2021.”
He emphasized that the vaccine would accelerate efforts to control and eliminate malaria.
“The vaccine would quicken our malaria control and elimination efforts, as we expect about 13 per cent reduction in all-cause mortality in children under five and a 22 per cent reduction in hospitalized severe malaria cases. WHO recommends prioritisation of the vaccine in areas of high to moderate transmission and this is guiding our phased introduction strategy,” he said.
Dr. Aina noted that the first phase of vaccination will commence in Kebbi and Bayelsa states in November.
He explained, “Kebbi because it has the highest prevalence rate in the country (52 per cent); while Bayelsa is selected because its target population of 69,935, and that of Kebbi’s 162,014, aligns with the one million doses available for this phase, thereby ensuring that the vaccine supply is effectively utilised.”
He added, “The vaccine will be administered to children aged five months to 15 months as part of routine immunisation. 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 immunisation schedule, as we receive additional doses.”
“The second phase will target 19 states and the FCT, while the third phase will target the remaining 15 states. Both phases are scheduled for 2025,” Aina continued. “To ensure a successful roll-out, we have established an elaborate cross-program coordinating mechanism that brings together key stakeholders and expertise in the malaria and immunisation space at the national and subnational levels.”
He concluded by saying, “The team has developed a robust and responsive demand generation strategy that is citizen-centered and recognizes the needs and expectations of stakeholders at all levels including caregivers, community gatekeepers and front-line health workers.”