Ghana becomes first country to approve Oxford’s malaria vaccine
Recently Ghana has become the first country in the world to approve the malaria vaccine.
- The Food and Drug Authority of Ghana has approved the use of this new vaccine called ‘R21’ in children aged five months to three years.
- R21 – Appears to be extremely effective unlike previous attempts in the same area.
- Ghana’s drug regulator has assessed final trial data on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, which has not yet been made public, and decided to use it.
- The World Health Organization is also considering approving the vaccine.
- The vaccine has been developed at Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India is preparing to produce between 100-200 million doses per year. For this a vaccine factory is being built in Accra, Ghana.
- Let us tell you that earlier in October 2021, WHO also recommended the use of RTS, S vaccine for children living in areas with moderate and high transmission of malaria.
About Malaria
- Malaria is an acute febrile disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite, which is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- It is preventable and treatable. Malaria is not contagious and cannot spread from person to person; The disease is spread by the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- Five species of parasites can cause malaria in humans, and two of these species, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, pose the greatest threat.
- There are more than 400 different species of Anopheles mosquitoes and about 40, known as vector species, can transmit disease.
- Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are the most effective anti-malarial drugs available today.
Source – Business Standard
