Nigeria awaits result of first anti-malaria vaccine on test: minister

Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-26 22:21:02|Editor: xuxin
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ABUJA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government on Friday said it is eagerly awaiting the result of the world's first anti-malaria vaccine which was recently introduced in Malawi and being tested there.

Minister of health Isaac Adewole told reporters in Abuja that if it works perfectly, the vaccine would help Nigeria and the world at large in the fight to eliminate the malaria scourge.

The anti-malaria vaccine, RTS, S/AS01, is the world's first licensed malaria vaccine and also the first vaccine licensed for use against a human parasitic disease of any kind. It is a recombinant protein-based malaria vaccine.

Adewole noted that since Nigeria was responsible for 25 percent of global malaria burden and 19 percent of global deaths from malaria, the success of the vaccine would catalyze global efforts at eliminating malaria.

Despite waiting for the success of the trial vaccine, more commitments are being made by the country with the help of its development partners to eliminate the scourge, the official said.

At least 53.7 million Nigerians are infected by malaria and 81,640 of them are killed yearly, according to data by the National Malaria Elimination Program. The country also accounts for 53 percent of cases in West Africa annually.

"We are fully committed to malaria elimination. We have developed innovative programs that will increase access to funds for malaria program implementation," Adewole added.

The pilot project for anti-malaria vaccination has been launched in Malawi since April 23. Ghana and Kenya are to join the program later this year.

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