Children in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi have been selected to trial the world's first malaria vaccine, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) says could save "tens of thousands of lives".
How does the vaccine work?
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline's RTS,S, also known by its trade name Mosquirix, "trains the immune system to attack the malaria parasite, which is spread by mosquito bites", says the BBC.
Trials showed it cut the risk of malaria by 40 per cent. WHO regional director Dr Matshidiso Moeti said that, combined with existing measures such as mosquito nets and insecticides, the vaccine could save "tens of thousands" of lives.
Why only three countries?
Ghana, Kenya and Malawi were chosen "because all have strong prevention and vaccination programs but continue to have high numbers of malaria cases".
To be effective, the vaccine has to be administered once a month for three months, then again 18 months later, which could be challenging in poor and remote regions that only have sporadic access to healthcare.
The three pilot schemes will determine whether larger-scale implementation is feasible.
"Information gathered in the pilot programme will help us make decisions on the wider use of this vaccine," Moeti said.
-
Political cartoons for November 30Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include the Saudi-China relationship, MAGA spelled wrong, and more
-
Rothermere’s Telegraph takeover: ‘a right-leaning media powerhouse’Talking Point Deal gives Daily Mail and General Trust more than 50% of circulation in the UK newspaper market
-
The US-Saudi relationship: too big to fail?Talking Point With the Saudis investing $1 trillion into the US, and Trump granting them ‘major non-Nato ally’ status, for now the two countries need each other
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
