Context: R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine added to the WHO’s list of prequalified vaccines.
- The R21 Malaria vaccine is the second malaria shot approved by WHO, following the RTS,S/AS01.
About R21/Matrix-M Malaria Vaccine
- It is developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured by Serum Institute of India.
- Recommended Usage: To prevent Malaria in children under 5 years of age.
- Efficacy: It can reduce malaria cases by 75% over a year.
- Price: It will be priced around $5 per dose at high volumes. Hence making it cheaper and accessible to a larger population
About Malaria
- About: It is caused by Plasmodium parasites, which spread through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
- It is caused in humans by five species of parasite, but 2 amongst them – Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax constitute the bulk of the incidence of infection.
- Malaria is not contagious and cannot spread from one person to another, also, it is preventable and curable.
- In 2021, an estimated 247 million people contracted malaria in 85 countries, and the disease claimed approximately 619,000 lives.
- India accounts for 3% of the global Malaria burden.
Also Read:
WHO Vaccines Prequalification
- Objective: To ensure that vaccines used in immunization programmes are safe and effective.
WHO Vaccines Prequalification List: Significance
- Benchmark of Quality: Vaccines meets WHO standard for vaccine quality, safety and efficacy standards, as endorsed by the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization (ECBS)
- Suitability: Vaccine is suitable for the target population (in accordance with the recommended immunization schedules) and for use with appropriate concomitant products
- Operational Specifications: Vaccines meet the operational specifications for packaging and presentation of UN organizations interested in procuring that vaccine.
- Funding: It ensures funding support for deployment by Gavi (Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation) the Vaccine Alliance.
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News source: Down to Earth
22 Dec 2023
