- Ghana has made history by becoming the first country to approve a highly effective malaria vaccine developed by scientists at the University of Oxford in the UK.
- The vaccine, called R21/Matrix-M, has exceeded the World Health Organization’s target of 75% efficacy, making it a significant milestone in the fight against malaria.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 619,000 people died from malaria in 2021, with the vast majority of the deaths being children in sub-Saharan Africa.
- In Ghana, where malaria is endemic and perennial, an estimated 5.3 million cases and 12,500 deaths were recorded in 2021.
- 'The R21/Matrix-M vaccine, which has shown promising results in clinical trials, could be a game-changer in reducing the burden of malaria in Ghana and other sub-Saharan African countries.
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