A new low-cost malaria vaccine has begun wide distribution across 18 African nations, with early data showing a 70% drop in child mortality in pilot regions. The R21/Matrix-M vaccine, developed by Oxford University and manufactured in India, costs under $3 per dose and requires only a standard cold chain.
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The WHO coordinated the rollout with Gavi and UNICEF, targeting 25 million children in the first phase. Unlike earlier vaccines, R21 showed high efficacy in areas with year-round transmission. Health workers are combining vaccination drives with bed net distribution and community education.
Nigeria, DRC, and Mozambique report clinic visits for severe malaria down by more than half since January. Challenges remain: conflict zones limit access, and misinformation has slowed uptake in some rural areas. Still, public health experts call this the most significant advance against malaria in 20 years. If coverage targets are met, the WHO estimates 400,000 child deaths could be prevented annually by 2028.