Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Information Minister in Pakistani-administered Kashmir: Five civilians killed and at least 29 others injured in shelling across the border with India
Israeli Army Radio's diplomatic correspondent quoted a senior Israeli official as saying: So he [Trump] decided to cut off contact. That might still change, but that’s the situation right now
Israeli Army Radio's diplomatic correspondent quoted a senior Israeli official as saying: Trump’s circle told him [Dermer] that Netanyahu was manipulating him, and there’s nothing Trump hates more than being portrayed as someone being played
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: Meetings between the Israelis, Egyptians, and Qataris are all centered around the Israeli proposal, which does not guarantee an end to the war [on Gaza]
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: “Israel” is threatening to expand the ground offensive if Hamas rejects the proposal
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: Hamas rejects the Israeli proposal, viewing it as failing to guarantee an end to the war
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: “Israel” is sticking to its proposal, and insists there is no alternative offer on the table for negotiation
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: The meetings between the Israelis and the Egyptians and Qataris all revolve around the Israeli proposal
The administration was clearly looking for an off-ramp for this campaign against Ansar Allah, NBC News reports, citing US official
Trump's operation against Ansar Allah cost more than $1 billion, NBC News reports, citing US official

WHO Approves First Malaria Vaccine

  • By Al Mayadeen
  • Source: Agencies
  • 6 Oct 2021 21:24
3 Min Read

The World Health Organization endorsed the first malaria vaccine, presenting a way that could save the lives of children in Africa each year.

  • x
  • WHO Approves the First Malaria Vaccine
    GlaxoSmithKline's new vaccine stimulates a child's immune system to combat Plasmodium falciparum

The World Health Organization approved the first malaria vaccine on Wednesday, launching a tool that might save the lives of tens of thousands of African children each year.

Malaria is one of the oldest and deadliest infectious diseases. It kills about 500,000 people per year, virtually all of whom are in Sub-Saharan Africa, including 260,000 children under the age of five.

GlaxoSmithKline vaccine

GlaxoSmithKline's new vaccine stimulates a child's immune system to combat Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest of five malaria infections and the most common in Africa. The vaccine is not just the first for malaria; it is also the first for any parasite disease.

In clinical studies, the vaccine had a first-year efficacy of about 50% against severe malaria, but by the fourth year, it had decreased close to zero.

Furthermore, the trials did not assess the vaccine's effectiveness in reducing mortality, prompting some experts to question if it is a viable investment in countries with a plethora of other intractable issues.

However, severe malaria accounts for up to half of the malaria deaths and is regarded as a “reliable proximal indication of mortality,” according to Dr. Mary Hamel, who oversees the World Health Organization's malaria vaccine implementation program, adding that "I do expect we will see that impact."

Related News

WHO faces major downsizing as US funding cuts take toll

Israeli strike on Gaza hospital caused child's death: WHO chief

2020 study findings

A modeling study revealed last year that if the vaccine were distributed to malaria-endemic nations, it might save 5.4 million infections and 23,000 deaths in children under the age of five per year.

A recent trial of the vaccine in combination with preventive medications given to children during high-transmission seasons revealed that the dual approach was far more efficient than either option alone in preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death.

The availability of a malaria vaccine that is safe, reasonably effective, and ready for distribution is a "historic event," according to Dr. Pedro Alonso, director of the WHO's global malaria program.

Parasites are far more complex than viruses or bacteria, and the search for a malaria vaccine has been ongoing for over a century, he added. “It’s a huge jump from the science perspective to have a first-generation vaccine against a human parasite.”

Vaccine research 

Vaccine candidates that never made it past clinical trials litter the landscape of malaria research. Bed nets, the most widely used preventive strategy, reduced malaria fatalities in children under the age of five by approximately 20% only.

Against this backdrop, some scientists believe that the new vaccine, despite its modest efficacy, is the best new advance in the fight against the illness in decades.

“Progress against malaria has really stalled over the last five or six years, particularly in some of the hardest-hit countries in the world,” said Ashley Birkett, head of the malaria programs at PATH, a nonprofit organization focused on global health.

With the new vaccine, “there’s potential for very, very significant impact there,” Dr. Birkett said.

Gavi, the global vaccination alliance, will then assess whether the vaccine is a worthy investment. If the organization's board of directors accepts the vaccine — which is unlikely given the vaccine's moderate efficacy and the organization's many competing priorities — Gavi will acquire the vaccine for nations who request it, a process that is expected to take at least a year.

  • World Health Organization
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • Africa
  • Malaria

Most Read

Pro-Palestinian protesters march toward the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Washington (AP)

US House to vote on bill criminalizing boycott of 'Israel'

  • Politics
  • 3 May 2025
Throughout Operation Prosperity Guardian, current and former US military and intelligence officials expressed disquiet at the enormous “cost offset” involved in battling Ansar Allah. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

Ansar Allah triumphant: US facing Red Sea defeat again

  • Opinion
  • 3 May 2025
Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu, senior Israeli official says

Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu: Israeli media

  • US & Canada
  • Today
Pakistan downs an Indian jet and hits a military base in Kashmir escalation.

Pakistan downs 3 Indian jets, hits military base in Kashmir escalation

  • Politics
  • 7 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
UN experts warn: Stop the genocide or witness Gaza's end
Politics

Stop the genocide or witness end of life in Gaza: UN experts warn

Israeli police attack mourners as they carry the casket of killed Al Jazeera veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during her funeral in occupied al-Quds, Friday, May 13, 2022. (AP)
Politics

Israeli sniper who killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh identified

The Department of Defense logo is seen on the wall in the Press Briefing room at the Pentagon, Oct. 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP)
Politics

Pentagon’s unused properties drain billions in taxpayer funds

Haaretz
Palestine

Israeli military avoids calling up unwilling reservists: Haaretz

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS