LONDON, Jul 20 (Reuters) – Nine months after the world’s first malaria injection was recommended for use, the international vaccine alliance Gavi has invited countries to apply for financial help to distribute it, especially to young children. from Africa.
The World Health Organization approved GSK Plc’s four-dose Mosquirix vaccine in October last year, saying it could save thousands of lives.
Now Gavi, which has $155.7 million available for the 2022-2025 period for the initial distribution of the vaccine, has invited countries to request funding and permission to distribute the injection.
The vaccine against malaria, a disease that, on average, kills one child every minute, has taken decades to develop.
However, distribution is expected to start slowly, with supply far short of huge demand for several years, according to a recent Reuters analysis.
Ghana, Kenya and Malawi – African countries that have participated in pilot programs with the vaccine – can first request, before September, the expansion of the use of the vaccine. Other countries may apply later this year, Gavi said in a statement.
“The work on a malaria vaccine has been long and hard,” said Seth Berkley, chief executive of Gavi. Along with existing interventions such as bed nets, Berkley said he hoped the new tool “will now enable us to save more lives in the countries hardest hit by this deadly disease.” (Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing in Spanish by Ricardo Figueroa)
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