Ghana amongst 2 African countries to gain further access to malaria jab

Some have questioned the value of the jab, given it provides such low protection

The WHO and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have invited developing countries like Ghana, Kenya and Malawi to apply for funding to access the RTS,S malaria vaccine.

International support worth $160m (£133m) from 2022 to 2025 will be made available to Ghana and the aforementioned countries, which piloted the jab in 2019.

Other countries which are affected by malaria can apply for the funding from September.

It is thought one child dies from malaria each minute in Africa.

The WHO recommended the widespread use of the RTS,S vaccine in October 2021, which has led to more countries expressing an interest in it.

But the jab only provides 30% protection.

To date, about 1.3 million children have received at least one of the required four doses of the vaccine since it was piloted in 2019.

However, the supply remains limited in the continent.

Africa needs at least 80 to 100 million doses annually, according to the WHO.

The manufacturer GSK says it can only produce about 15 million doses every year until 2028.

"Lives are at stake, every day," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti from the WHO.

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World Health Organization (WHO)