Gbelia Town — Liberia on Thursday, April 25 achieved a significant milestone in its fight against malaria as it introduces the highly anticipated RTS,S malaria vaccine on World Malaria Day under the theme "Health Equity, Gender, and Human Rights: Accelerating the Fight Against Malaria for a More Equitable World."
The launch ceremony which was held at the River Cess District Hospital in Gbelia, River Cess County marks a pivotal moment in Liberia's dedication to protecting the health of its children and communities.
The head of the National Malaria Control Program, Trokon Washington noted that "Liberia has made significant progress in the fight against malaria by reducing malaria prevalence from 27% in 2011 to 10% in 2022 using microcopy and from 44% in 2011 to 18% in 2022 using MRDT (Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test)."
He ascribed the progress to the consolidated efforts and commitment from partners, and the government.
"All of these significant strides made would not have been possible without the continued support of our partners, especially PM/USAID, CDC, the Global Fund, Last Mile Health, Breakthrough Action, Chemonics, JHPIEGO, IRC and the rest of our Partners." He said.
Though Washington brags about the country's achievements in the fight against malaria, He says "more needs to be done if we must meet the 2030 targets of the Global Technical Strategy for malaria, with these interventions put in place and properly executed and monitored, malaria prevalence rate in Liberia will further be reduced." He continued.
In January of this year, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with partners announced the arrival of 112,000 doses of the RTS,S malaria vaccine, the world's first malaria vaccine developed by the British Pharmaceutical manufacturer GSK and approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).
This intervention is expected to benefit 45,000 children across the 39 districts in the six southeastern counties including River Cess, Sinoe, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Maryland, and Rivergee as regions identified with high malaria prevalence based on the 2022 Malaria Indicators Survey.
Given Liberia's malaria prevalence among children under five which according to the WHO is at 10 percent, the vaccine holds great promise in saving lives and lessening the impact of this harmful disease.
Following successful pilot programs in Ghana, Malawi, and Kenya, where the vaccine presented a 22% reduction in severe clinical malaria hospitalizations in eligible children, Liberia is integrating the vaccine into its Expanded Program on Immunization, a significant step in preventive healthcare.
Key partners such as GAVI, UNICEF, WHO, USAID, and others have played a crucial role in facilitating the vaccine introduction and ensuring its successful implementation.
During the vaccine launch at the Gbelia Town Referral Hospital, Health Minister Louis Kpoto expressed gratitude to partners for their collaboration in working towards a malaria-free future for Liberian children.
"As we all know malaria even though its prevention remains a formidable health challenge in Liberia impacting our entire population, with children aged 6-59 months bearing he biggest burden, today's launch of the anti-malaria vaccine targeting children aged 5 to 23 months presents a crucial advancement in our national immunization program- as it represents collaboration to safeguard the health of our children, paving the way for a healthy and malaria free future in Liberia." Minister Kpoto said.
UNICEF's Representative to Liberia, Andy Brooks, hails the event as a historic moment in Liberia's public health journey and says "the introduction of the RTS,S malaria vaccine represents a game-changer in our fight against this deadly disease, and we commend the government's commitment to prioritizing the health and well-being of its children."
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For the World Health Organization, strengthening the Liberian Health Sector is part of its commitments.
"The World Health Organization stands in solidarity with Liberia as it embarks on this transformative journey. The RTS,S malaria vaccine holds immense potential to reduce the burden of malaria and accelerate progress towards achieving our shared goal of a malaria-free world," a WHO Representative at the program said.
As Liberia joins Benin and Sierra Leone in this simultaneous vaccine rollout, the collective efforts of African nations in accelerating malaria vaccine introduction are poised to make a significant impact in the global fight against malaria, reaffirming the commitment to health equity, gender equality, and human rights for a more equitable and resilient world.
