Nigeria rolls out long-anticipated malaria vaccine [Video]

ABUJA, NIGERIA — 

Nigeria officially launched its malaria vaccination campaign this week to protect millions of children from the deadly disease, focusing heavily on high-risk states.

The first 846,000 doses of the R21 malaria vaccine arrived in Abuja, Nigeria, on Thursday, marking a milestone in efforts to eliminate malaria. According to the World Health Organization, the country accounts for about 27% of global malaria cases. In 2022, it recorded nearly 67 million infections and nearly 200,000 deaths, about 80% of the deaths occurring in children under age 5.

Dr. Muyi Aina, head of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, said the initial rollout prioritizes high-risk regions.

“We expect another 140,000 or so to make a million doses in this first batch,” Aina said. “Every child, every person that is vaccinated, needs to get two doses. So, we know that that’s a limited number of people. So, we have prioritized the highest-burden locations …