New malaria vaccine cuts mortality rate, according to WHO

The World Health Organization, WHO, described the malaria vaccine as “safe and effective” having led to “a substantial reduction in severe malaria”.

Speaking in New York, Director-general, Tedros Ghebreyesus, added that the new vaccine also contributed to a fall in child deaths.

“As the first vaccine against malaria, the RTS,S vaccine has now been delivered to more than 1.6 million children in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. It has been shown to be safe and effective, resulting in a substantial reduction in severe malaria and a fall in child deaths”, announced Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

The director for Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals also warned that despite this new “tool in the toolbox”, “its important to remember that nearly every minute a child dies of malaria”.

“I think it’s really important to remember nearly every minute a child dies of malaria, and the introduction of malaria vaccine as another tool, an additional tool in the toolbox to fight against the severe disease, the deaths that occur, is a really essential step forward”, added Katherine O’Brien, WHO Director of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals.

According to previous UN studies, climate change is allowing an increase in the number of mosquitoes carrying malaria-like diseases.