Maputo – Mozambique today reached an important milestone in malaria prevention among children with the introduction of the R21 vaccine, which will help reduce malaria cases and save thousands of children’s lives each year. In Africa, one child dies from malaria every minute.

Through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and co-financing from the Government of Mozambique, the country has received about 800 000 malaria vaccine doses to vaccinate around 300 000 children through the country’s Expanded Programme on Immunization. The vaccine will be distributed in 22 districts in Zambézia province. It will be administered in a 4-dose schedule, with the first dose covering children aged 6 to 11 months.

“The malaria vaccine, which is being rolled out initially in Zambezia today, is one of the latest approaches in the fight against the disease,” said Hon Dr Armindo Tiago, Minister of Health. “The choice of Zambezia as the launch site is due to the high burden of the disease in the province. The vaccine will be administered in four doses with the aim of reducing the severe malaria illness and death.”

The WHO-recommended R21 vaccine is safe and effective. When provided in childhood immunization (programme?), it reduces over half of malaria cases (as high as 66%) in children during the first year of follow-up and prolonged protection with the fourth dose of vaccine. This vaccine represents an advancement for child health, disease control and reduction of child mortality. In Mozambique, malaria endemic, with a prevalence of 32% in under 5 children.

“The introduction of the malaria vaccine into Mozambique's childhood vaccination programme is a historic event because it is the result of research and trials carried out by Mozambican scientists in Mozambique that led to the development of the first vaccine of its kind, the RTS,S vaccine. This pioneering work laid the foundations for WHO to recommend the RTS,S and R21 vaccines for childhood immunization from 2021,” Dr Severin von Xylander, WHO Representative in Mozambique

The introduction of the malaria vaccine in Mozambique brings to 11 the number of countries on the African continent to offer malaria vaccines, with eight countries providing  RTS,S and three offering R21 as part of childhood immunization programme. The wider malaria vaccine rollout is expanding access to more comprehensive prevention against the disease.

Malaria continues to be a huge health challenge in the African region, which is home to 11 countries that bear approximately 70% of the global malaria burden. The region accounted for 94% of global malaria cases and 95% of all malaria deaths in 2022, according to the 2023 World Malaria Report.

In additional to the vaccine, efforts must continue to increase the coverage and use of insecticide-treated nets. Only 57% of households in Mozambique have at least one insecticide-treated net.

Gavi, UNICEF, WHO and other partners are supporting the Ministry of Health in the preparation, acceptance and introduction of the malaria vaccine. The support ranges from developing vaccine implementation plans, communication strategies, conducting health professional training and community engagement, and ensuring sufficient cold chain capacity.