Nigeria has taken delivery of one million doses of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, donated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The official handover ceremony took place on Thursday in Abuja.
The World Health Organization (WHO) added the R21/Matrix-M vaccine to its list of prequalified vaccines in December 2023. Earlier in October 2023, WHO recommended its use for malaria prevention in children, based on recommendations from its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group.
This prequalification paves the way for broader access to the vaccine, which is essential for malaria prevention in children. It also allows for procurement by UNICEF and funding support for deployment by Gavi. The R21/Matrix-M is the second WHO-prequalified malaria vaccine, following the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, which received approval in July 2022. Both vaccines have proven to be safe and effective in clinical trials.
At the handover ceremony, Dr. Muyi Aina, Executive Director and CEO of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), highlighted the importance of this delivery. He stated, “The arrival of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine from Gavi is a testament to President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to protecting the lives of Nigerians.”
Aina emphasized Nigeria’s significant burden of malaria, noting, “Nigeria accounts for approximately 27 per cent of the global malaria burden and 31 per cent of malaria-related deaths. In 2022, nearly 200,000 deaths from malaria were recorded in the country. Children under five years and pregnant women are the most vulnerable, with a national malaria prevalence rate of 22 per cent among children aged six to 59 months.”
He expressed optimism about the impact of the vaccine, predicting it could accelerate malaria control and elimination efforts. “We expect about a 13 per cent reduction in all-cause mortality among children under five and a 22 per cent reduction in severe malaria cases requiring hospitalization,” he added.
The first phase of the vaccination rollout will begin in Kebbi and Bayelsa in November 2024. “Kebbi was chosen because it has the highest prevalence rate in the country (52 per cent), while Bayelsa’s population of 69,935, along with Kebbi’s 162,014, aligns with the one million doses available for this phase,” Aina explained. This ensures that the vaccine supply is optimally utilized.
Children aged 5 to 15 months will receive four doses of the vaccine as part of routine immunization. The initial phase will expand to other states once more doses are available. A second phase targeting 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory is planned for 2025, with a third phase to cover the remaining 15 states.
Aina also mentioned the establishment of a cross-program coordination mechanism to oversee the rollout, which includes a comprehensive demand generation strategy tailored to the needs of caregivers, community leaders, and healthcare workers.
