by: Arfaye Gem M. Daug
Malaria is a mosquito-borne
infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. It causes symptoms
like fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause a
person’s skin to turn yellow; it can make your body move in an uncontrolled
violent way, coma, or even death. Malaria cases and deaths occur in sub-Saharan
Africa. However, South-East Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, West Pacific, and the
Americas are also at risk of this disease.
However, scientifically-inclined
individuals discovered RTS, S/AS01 also known as its brand name Mosquirix™. It
was the world’s first malaria vaccine to get approval for this use. Although
the link between Plasmodium parasites and malaria was made in 1880, developing
an effective vaccine against them has proved to be very difficult. The
development of the modern Malaria vaccine is from rodents (mice, rats,
squirrels, or beavers), primates (apes and monkeys), and human volunteers
immunization with irradiated sporozoites since the 1960s. They have been
working on the RTS, S/AS01 Malaria vaccine for 30 years. The research and
development are made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and through a partnership with Program
for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), with support from a network of
African research centers.
After years of clinical tests and
trials, Mosquirix™ increases fairness in access to malaria prevention. According
to World Health Organization (WHO), data from the pilot program showed that
more than two-thirds of children in the 3 countries who are not sleeping under
a bed net are benefitting from the vaccine. Pilot malaria introductions are led
by the Ministries of Health of Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi. The vaccine has an effectiveness
rate of at least 75% against clinical malaria for areas with ongoing malaria
transmission. It has known side effects including pain and swelling in the
injected area/site and fever. These side effects are similar to reactions
observed with other vaccines given to children. Hence, this malaria vaccine initiative
brought light to the world as malaria now has a cure.
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