Nigeria is set to become one of the first countries to roll out a new malaria vaccine after receiving an initial batch of 846,200 doses.
The R21 vaccine, developed by scientists at the University of Oxford, was produced by the Serum Institute of India and Novavax. Nigerian Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate called the arrival of these doses a significant milestone in the country’s fight against malaria.
Malaria, transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, poses a major public health challenge in Nigeria, where approximately 97 percent of the population is affected. The country is the worst-hit in the world, accounting for 31 percent of global malaria-related deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
The health ministry announced that the vaccines, procured in partnership with the international Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, will be administered free of charge. A pilot rollout will begin in Kebbi and Bayelsa, two states with the highest malaria burden, before expanding nationwide.
An additional 153,800 doses are expected to arrive on October 26, bringing the total number of available vaccines to one million.
