The malaria vaccine ‘‘first babies’’
One year on, about 275 000 children have received their first dose of the RTS,S malaria vaccine through the pilot implementation programme initiated in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi in 2019. The malaria vaccine is the first vaccine that can significantly reduce malaria in children – the group at highest risk of dying from malaria. Meet other malaria vaccine “first babies” and their mothers.
The malaria vaccine first babies
On 30 April 2019, Ghana was the second country to initiate the pilot introduction of the RTS,S malaria through routine immunization. Lordina, pictured here with her mother Vida, was one of the first children to be vaccinated in Ghana.
The malaria vaccine first babies
When Lordina was five months old, she became sick with malaria, and her mother Vida had to sponge bathe her to try to bring her temperature down. It was terrifying, said Vida. “This happened several times and I was so worried I couldn’t sleep. When she had malaria, her temperature went up and couldn’t eat and she kept crying. Then I had to borrow money to take her to the hospital. I felt helpless, all I cared about was the well-being and recovery of my child but in these circumstances, I had difficulties providing meals and caring for the rest of my children,” she said.
The malaria vaccine first babies
When the vaccine was first introduced in Ghana, Vida could not wait to bring her 6-month-old baby Lordina to the clinic for the malaria vaccine, a new prevention tool that can reduce the number of times a child gets sick with malaria. She was one of the first to make it to the health post with her baby when the vaccine was introduced.
The malaria vaccine first babies
Before vaccination, nurses performed a routine health check on Lordina, recording information about her health, including her weight. In Ghana, RTS,S is given in 4 doses, with the first one given from 6 months of age, and the last one given near the child’s second birthday.
The malaria vaccine first babies
Vida, Lordina’s mother, is grateful for the immunization services in her community. “I am very glad about your commitment to our children. Seeing them in good health gives us peace of mind and assurance, because when they get sick we are unable to work or look after them,” she said.
The malaria vaccine first babies
Despite progress in the fight against malaria in recent years, the burden of malaria remains high in parts of Kenya, and is a leading killer of children under 5. On 13 September 2019, Kenya became the third country to initiate the pilot introduction of the RTS,S malaria vaccine in areas of high malaria burden. Baby Elian, pictured here at 6 months old, was the first child to receive the vaccine in the country through this programme.
The malaria vaccine first babies
In Kenya, children receive the malaria vaccine at 6 months, 7 months, 9 months and 24 months. The vaccine is used as a complementary malaria control tool—added to the core package of WHO-recommended measures for malaria prevention. At the time of the launch, Elian’s mother Noreen explained she was pleased that her child and others around him could benefit from the new vaccine, which could reduce the threat malaria brings to the lives of many children in the region.
The malaria vaccine first babies
Elian, who recently celebrated his first birthday, has so far received three doses of the vaccine and has not suffered from any episodes of malaria. Evidence and experience from the vaccine pilot will inform recommendations on the broader use of the vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa. “When your child is healthy, everything else seems to fall into place,” Noreen said recently.
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