Democratic Republic of the Congo launches malaria vaccine into routine immunisation

Mbanza-Ngungu, Kongo Central, 31 October 2024 The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached a major public health milestone by successfully integrating the malaria vaccine into its national routine immunization programme. This remarkable initiative has just been launched in Mbanza-Ngungu (southwest of the country) by the Minister of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare, with the active participation of the Governor of Kongo-Central and the support of key partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), PATH, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), PMI , Breakthrough ACTION, SANRU and others.

In June, DRC received a first batch of 693,500 doses of the malaria vaccine, designed to immunize children aged six months and over against malaria, a disease that affects millions of people in DRC and across Africa.

The most recent data from the epidemiological surveillance system of the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare and from the 2022 annual report of the DRC National Malaria Strategic Plan reveals an alarming situation: children aged under five years account for almost 50% of malaria cases and around 70% of all malaria mortalities.

"The introduction of the malaria vaccine is an initiative that highlights the importance of combining high-impact strategic interventions to fight malaria effectively," said Dr Roger Kamba, Minister of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare. "At this precise moment, I would like to express our sincere thanks to all the international partners who have provided considerable support for the introduction of the malaria vaccine into our country's immunization schedule," added Dr Kamba.

Prequalified by WHO, the malaria vaccine is a safe and effective shield against malaria in children aged under five years.

"The introduction of the malaria vaccine as a major preventive measure, alongside environmental sanitation, vector control and increased use of insecticide-treated bed nets at night, represents an extraordinary step forward for the DRC in the fight against malaria," said Dr Boureima Hama Sambo, WHO Representative in DRC. "By collectively implementing all these combined and effective approaches, we can protect DRC communities against mosquito-borne diseases," he added.

In 2022, DRC recorded 27,296,419 cases of malaria, including 13,300,804 in children under five (48.7%). Of these cases, 1,176,648 were severe forms of the disease. The same statistics indicate more than 24,880 deaths due to malaria, of which 16,921 were among children under five (68%).

"UNICEF is a key partner in the deployment of the malaria vaccine in the DRC. Thanks to our technical expertise, we have helped to build the capacity of health workers, develop appropriate management tools and implement effective communication strategies to promote vaccination among parents. UNICEF is committed to continuing its efforts to ensure that all Congolese children benefit from this essential protection, in line with the national vaccine roll-out plan," said Grant Leaity, UNICEF Representative in DRC.

By November 2023, DRC had also introduced perennial malaria chemoprevention (PMC) in four pilot health zones (Boko Kivulu, Kisantu, Kwilu Ngongo and Mbanza-Ngungu) in the province of Kongo Central to combat malaria in children under five, and prevent hundreds of thousands of them from falling ill. These efforts have considerably strengthened the country's control strategy as an additional means of preventing malaria.

By joining the 14 other African countries that have already adopted the malaria vaccine (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Niger, Malawi, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and South Sudan), DRC is demonstrating its strong political will and responding to the community's growing demand for vaccines.

"Today, DRC becomes the fifteenth country on the African continent to have introduced malaria vaccine into routine immunization with Gavi support. Given the devastating impact of malaria, this is a development that will save thousands of young lives, and offer relief to families and the health system," said Cyril Nogier, Senior Country Manager for DRC at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. "We commend the Ministry of Health for prioritizing the introduction of this life-saving tool, even amid other urgent health priorities including the mpox response. This showcases the importance of investing in building resilient health systems that can expand routine immunization even while responding to emergencies. Gavi is proud to support this effort and stands committed to working together to secure a healthier future for all in DRC."

Administered in four doses from the age of six months in areas of intense transmission, these vaccines prevent more than half of all malaria cases during the first year following vaccination. For children at high risk of illness and death, a fourth dose extends this vital protection.

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