Malaria Vaccine: Akufo-Addo Justifies Decision To Allow Trials on Ghanaian Citizens

• Nana Akufo-Addo has said his decision to allow Ghana to become the first country to trial the new malaria vaccine on a large scale is well informed
• Akufo-Addo explained on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, that the groundbreaking vaccines are safe and have passed many tests and reviews
• He made the comments when he inaugurated a vaccine manufacturing facility in Accra

Nana Akufo-Addo has explained why he gave the green light for the new malaria vaccine to be tested in Ghana.

The president said his administration approved the vaccines to be tested in Ghana because there have been extensive reviews and further peer reviews of the non-clinical and clinical quality parts of the vaccines.

"The R21 malaria vaccine has been approved for use for the immunisation of children between 5 months and 36 months against malaria,” he stressed.

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He made the comments when he joined the owners of DEK Manufacturing Plant to inaugurate a vaccine manufacturing facility in Accra on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.

Ghana will become the first country in the world to trial the groundbreaking malaria vaccine that has the backing of the WHO.

The vaccine was developed by Oxford University but is being manufactured in India by the Serum Institute of India.

The WHO has recommended the widespread use of the malaria vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions of the world with moderate to high malaria transmission.

Malaria kills about 620,000 people each year, most of them young children.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus' recommendation follows favourable results from a pilot programme in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi.

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The pilot has reached more than 900 000 children since 2019, according to the WHO.

Ghana's Food and Dr*gs Authority (FDA) has already given market authorisation for the new vaccine called "R21"

The FDA said a thorough evaluation of the new product shows the benefits outweigh its risks.

Things to know about the new malaria vaccine

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported in a separate story that the newly endorsed malaria vaccine is a product of 30 years of dedicated research to defeat malaria, which claimed 409,000 deaths in 2019 with 229 million cases same period.

It is recommended that the vaccine is to be given in a schedule of four doses to children from five months to ensure a reduction in the disease burden on its hosts.

WHO reports that the vaccine has presented impressive results in areas it has been administered so far with a 30% reduction in deadly severe malaria.

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Source: YEN.com.gh