Last month, Uganda began introducing the malaria vaccine into its routine immunization schedule .
The initial phase of the rollout, which is the largest to date in terms of districts and population, is targeting 1.1 million children under two years in 105 high and moderate malaria transmission districts.
The vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, will be administered in four doses.
How it works
The malaria vaccine works by stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies that prevent Plasmodium falciparum
parasites from infecting liver cells, where they mature and multiply.
This stops the infection from progressing and causing severe illness.
The Malaria vaccine offers adequate protection against severe Malaria and death.
It has also been proven significantly to lower of severe malaria cases, reduce number of hospitalization admissions, and reduce deaths among fully vaccinated children (four doses).
The vaccine’s impact increases when it is combined with other malaria preventive measures, e.g., the use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITN), seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC), perennial malaria chemoprevention (PMC) and indoor residual spraying (IRS), and early health seeking behaviors among others.
Safety
The malaria vaccine is safe. It has undergone rigorous testing in clinical trials involving over 800,000 children across multiple African countries.
Over 6,000,000 children have received the vaccine since it was introduced in the five countries of Malawi, Kenya, Cameroon, South Sudan and Ghana since 2019.
The vaccine has been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) but has also been approved by the National Drug Authority as ready for use in Uganda.
Children below one year of age starting at six months are eligible for the vaccine.
Officials explain that vaccination starts with children from six months because that is when they need it most since they have lost the acquired immunity from the mother.
A child will receive 4 doses of malaria vaccine, starting at 6 months, 7 months, 8 months, and at 18months. Completion of
the 4 doses gives the best protection against severe Malaria.
If the child doesnt complete the required doses, the malaria vaccine reduces on the number of malaria episodes from severe malaria and may die of malaria when exposed.
It is important for the child to complete all the four recommended doses in addition to all Malaria prevention and control measures.
Officials however clarify that children who get vaccinated can still get malaria but the vaccine reduces their chances of getting severe forms of malaria.
"To prevent malaria, the children should continue using other malaria interventions like sleeping under treated mosquito
nets. In case of any fever seek medical attention," officials say.