\n\nA malaria vaccine being rolled out across Africa is continuing to show encouraging results in protecting children from one of the continent’s deadliest diseases. Health experts say the vaccine has already helped reduce severe malaria cases and child deaths in countries where it has been introduced, but they are warning that many children are not completing the full vaccination schedule.
The vaccine requires four doses to provide the strongest protection. However, health authorities have found that while many parents bring their children for the first dose, a much smaller number return for the fourth and final booster, which is usually given around a child’s second birthday. This gap could reduce the vaccine’s overall effectiveness in preventing severe illness.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says more than 25 African countries, including Nigeria, have now introduced malaria vaccines as part of their childhood immunisation programmes. The vaccines are being used alongside other preventive measures such as insecticide-treated mosquito nets, indoor spraying, early diagnosis, and prompt treatment.
Health officials attribute missed doses to several factors, including transportation costs, caregivers forgetting appointments, and limited access to healthcare facilities in some communities.
Governments and international partners are now expanding awareness campaigns and outreach programmes to encourage parents to complete the full vaccination schedule.
Malaria remains one of Africa’s biggest public health challenges, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives every year, with children under the age of five being the most vulnerable. Experts believe that wider vaccine coverage, combined with existing malaria prevention strategies, could save tens of thousands of young lives annually and significantly reduce the disease’s impact across the continent.
