In a considerable accomplishment in the universal battle against malaria, a prominent new addition has been included to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s list of prequalified vaccines – the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine. Developed by Oxford University and produced by the Serum Institute of India, this vaccine is expected to be effective in the prevention of malaria in children. Following the RTS, S/AS01 vaccine, the R21/Matrix-M vaccine has become the second malaria vaccine to secure WHO prequalification.
The Implication of WHO Prequalification
The WHO’s endorsement of the R21 vaccine serves as robust confirmation of the vaccine’s safety and efficacy. Vaccines that attain WHO prequalification gain acceptance and legitimacy in international markets as the WHO employs rigorous international standards while scrutinizing their safety, efficacy, and manufacturing compliance. It’s often a requirement for procurement by international organizations like the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and boosts a vaccine’s chances of being included in global immunization programs. Crucially, prequalification helps secure Gavi support, which aids the execution of vaccination programs in regions with scarce resources. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance initiated in 2000, provides funding for vaccine deployment in developing countries.
Understanding Malaria
Malaria is a grave blood disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted through mosquito bites, and is both preventable and curable. This disease is dominant in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, South America, and Asia. Female Anopheles mosquitoes infected with these parasites cause malaria, wherein the parasites multiply in the liver before attacking Red Blood Cells. Two species among five, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, present the greatest danger. Symptoms of malaria encompass fever, flu-like symptoms such as shaking chills, headaches, muscle aches, and fatigue.
The Malaria Burden
The burden of malaria, particularly on children in the African region, is heavy. Roughly half a million kids perish due to this disease annually. In 2022, an estimated 249 million cases of malaria and 6,08,000 malaria-related deaths were reported across 85 countries.
Global and National Initiatives to Counteract Malaria
Numerous initiatives, global and national, strive to inhibit the spread of malaria. Globally, plans like the E-2025 initiative and Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016–2030, are in place. India, too, has undertaken initiatives such as the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME), National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22), and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)’s Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India).
Malaria Vaccine Development Challenges
The development of an effective malaria vaccine has been proven challenging owing to the resistance of malarial parasites to drugs like chloroquine. One of the previous-year questions in the UPSC Civil Services Examination questioned why it was difficult to develop an effective malaria vaccine. The answer lies in the fact that humans do not develop immunity to malaria during natural infection, making vaccination against it a complex process.