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Ghana: Trial to Add Malaria Vaccine to EPI Begins
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Accra Mail (Accra)
10 December 2007
Posted to the web 11 December 2007
Maame Efua Moses
Accra
Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) has begun the second trial of the phase two of the malaria vaccine trial following the successful completion of the active phase of the first trial of the phase two.
The first trial known as Mal 47 was conducted among older children between the months of 5-17 in the Kintampo North and South Districts of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The Mal 50 is being conducted on 170 infants between six to ten weeks from the same districts. The study started in November 2007
Dr Seth Owusu-Agyei, told journalists from the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) on a visit to the centre, that the trial of the RT,S vaccine on infants was to assess whether it would be easy to administer the vaccine during routine child vaccination programmes.
He said it was also to test if the vaccine would interact or mix favourably or otherwise with other vaccines already in use in the expanded programme of immunization against polio, measles, diphtheria tetanus, hepatitis B and tuberculosis.
Dr. Owusu explained that the trial team is very committed to ensuring the safety of trial participants.
He told ADM that during the period of vaccinations with the malaria vaccine, field workers who live in the communities with trial participants visit them on daily basis to ensure that the children are well.
"If the child is unwell, the fieldworker calls a study ambulance that sends the child to the hospital to be treated by the clinician."
He said the third phase of the trial would not only be looking at safety but also the efficacy of the drug. How the vaccine is able to protect children from getting malaria and even if they do how severe it's would be.
Dr Seth Owusu-Agyei stated that the study is being carried out in two (2) other African countries (Gabon and Tanzania). Results are expected late 2008.
At the end of the trail "We would have the opportunity to compare which best age group to administer the drug and the best schedules to use.
Madam Aisha Mohammed, 37 year, mother of Abubakari Sadique a participant of the Mal 50 trial explained that people from the research centre came to inform her about the trial while she was pregnant and with the consent of the husband they agreed.
She told ADM that she decided to use his son in the trial because malaria is a major cause of death in children in the district.
"From the experience of others who took part in Mal 47, I could see that their babies were very strong and health", she said.
Wilhemina Ameyaw allowed her daughter Janice Afriyie to take part in the trail because she wanted her daughter to be different from other siblings who have had to battle with malaria very often.
The RTS,S vaccine has been shown to be safe in trials with adults in the United States, Belgium Kenya as well as in children in Mozambique and Gambia.
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There are no licensed vaccines to prevent malaria infection at the moment.Having children who sleep under a well-maintained insecticide-treated bed net may have a reduced risk of getting infected. If the vaccine is found to be safe and effective, it will complement other malaria control measures in reducing the burden of malaria in endemic countries.
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