Opinion: China’s complicated role in malaria control in Africa
Ghana has taken a remarkable step in the fight against malaria by becoming the first country in the world to approve the R21/Matrix-M vaccine. It’s poised to be highly effective in young children from 5 months to 36 months, the age group with the highest risk. The approval highlights the continued urgency required to combat this disease, which remains a significant threat to human health and a considerable social and economic burden.
Low- and middle-income countries like Ghana record hundreds of thousands of malaria deaths each year. According to the World Health Organization, roughly 619,000 people globally died from malaria in 2021, 96% of them from vulnerable populations in Africa, where the disease is both endemic and perennial. Africa is home to some of the most effective malaria vectors, which are known for their high capacity to transmit the malaria parasite to humans, and incorporating vaccines into the elimination strategies will help bring the continent closer to eliminating malaria.
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