Almost six years ago, we embarked on a journey to address one of the deadliest diseases on the African continent – malaria. In 2019, Burkina Faso, where nearly 5,000 children die from malaria every year, became the centre of the R21 malaria vaccine Phase II trial. What began as a scientific challenge for my colleagues and I, turned into a historic public health achievement that we can all take pride in.
Today, the R21 malaria vaccine has been rolled out across 17 countries, with the Serum Institute of India scaling up manufacturing capacity to 200 million doses per year – to meet the growing demand for a vaccine to protect young children from this life-threatening disease. This is a highly safe and effective vaccine (showing over 75% efficacy in clinical trials), which is affordable.
We finally have the tools to make malaria history with the introduction of R21, the most affordable vaccine. Another malaria vaccine, RTS, S, has also played a pivotal role in combating the disease. Lessons learned from the pilot introduction of RTS,S in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi from 2019 to 2023 demonstrated its ability to reduce malaria illnesses, contribute to a 13% drop in overall child mortality, and significantly decrease of hospitalisations.
Together, the two vaccines are reshaping the landscape of malaria prevention. The R21 vaccine is an important breakthrough which fills a critical public health need, given its affordability and availability, and will be key to helping tackle rising malaria infection rates. In certain regions including Burkina Faso, malaria can be more prevalent at certain times of the year – often peaking during the rainy season. In areas with this high seasonal malaria transmission, the R21 vaccine has the potential to reduce clinical malaria cases by more than 75%. In areas of low to moderate transmission, it reduces cases by two-thirds. For communities long burdened by the relentless toll of this disease, these numbers symbolise a lifeline – a future where malaria will no longer define their lives.
However, our hard-won progress is at risk. Indeed, funding and global government prioritization are critical to sustaining and expanding this momentum. The recent news that USAID funding for some malaria vaccine programmes has been cut is deeply concerning. Without international financial support, countries will be forced to shoulder the cost of these life-saving vaccines. For nations like Burkina Faso, this means we cannot reach children quickly enough, threatening to undo years of work and progress.
A world without malaria is finally within reach but without the necessary resources, we risk allowing it to claim the lives we have worked so hard to save. Therefore, this progress is fragile, and World Malaria Day serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges that remain. Now is the time for global leaders to step-up, recommit, and invest in the fight against malaria. Vaccines work – we know that they are one of the most effective tools in our fight against infectious diseases. However, without access, they are meaningless.
