Africa: Five Years On From First Vaccine, Fight Against Malaria Sees Progress in Africa
[RFI] On World Mosquito Day, attention remains focused on the devastating impact of the disease in Africa. The continent accounts for 95 per cent of malaria-related deaths worldwide. Five years after the roll-out of the first malaria vaccine, it is beginning to deliver measurable results - although significant challenges remain.
On World Mosquito Day, the impact of malaria in Africa remains a pressing concern. The continent accounts for 95% of malaria-related fatalities globally. Five years after the introduction of the first malaria vaccine, progress is being made, yet considerable hurdles persist. The RTS,S vaccine, first recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in October 2021, has started to yield tangible results.
Since then, this vaccine has been integrated into childhood vaccination programs in 25 African countries, with annual immunizations for over 10 million children.
According to the World Malaria Report 2025, over 170 million malaria cases and approximately 1 million deaths were averted worldwide in 2024, largely due to enhanced prevention measures, including vaccines, predominantly in Africa where more than 90% of malaria deaths transpire. A significant development occurred in April when the WHO pre-qualified the first anti-malarial treatment tailored specifically for newborns and young infants - a milestone considering that around 30 million babies are born each year in endemic African regions.
Research published in May 2026 in The Lancet evaluated the RTS,S vaccine's impact on mortality among young children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi over a 46-month period in 158 locations across the three countries. The study revealed that the introduction of RTS,S resulted in a substantial decrease in mortality among young children, with an estimated one in eight deaths averted in the monitored areas.
Four African nations—Algeria, Mauritius, Cabo Verde, and Egypt—have been recognized by the WHO as malaria-free. However, despite this advancement, malaria remains a top public health worry in Africa. In 2024, the WHO recorded around 579,000 malaria-related deaths on the continent, with children under five accounting for roughly three-quarters of these fatalities.
Emerging challenges include the arrival of the Anopheles stephensi mosquito species in urban areas. Originally from South Asia, this species was first identified in Djibouti in 2012 and has since been detected in various East African countries and recently in West Africa, notably Nigeria and Ghana. Adapted to urban settings, Anopheles stephensi can thrive in urban reservoirs and artificial water containers, expanding its breeding grounds.
Moreover, its ability to withstand high temperatures during the dry season may extend the transmission period, potentially exposing an additional 120 million Africans to malaria due to increased urbanization.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
