Malaria vaccine

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has added the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine to its list of prequalified vaccines.
• It has been developed by Oxford University and manufactured by Serum Institute of India.
• The R21 vaccine is the second malaria vaccine prequalified by WHO, following the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine which had obtained prequalification status in July 2022.
• As per WHO, both vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials, for preventing malaria in children.

WHAT IS PREQUALIFICATION?

• The prequalification means larger access to vaccines as a key tool to prevent malaria in children, with it being a prerequisite for vaccine procurement by UNICEF and funding support for deployment by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
• As part of the prequalification process, WHO applies international standards to comprehensively evaluate and determine whether vaccines are safe, effective, and manufactured to international standards.
• WHO also ensures the continued safety and efficacy of prequalified vaccines through regular re-evaluation, site inspection, and targeted testing.

ABOUT

• Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease.
• It is a life-threatening disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite which is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• Spread– Malaria is most common in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America.
• While Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for more deaths, Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread of all of the malaria species.
• Symptoms-
  • Fever, fatigue, chills, vomiting, and headaches
  • Diarrhoea, anaemia and muscle pain
  • Profuse sweating and convulsions
  • Bloody stools.
  • In severe cases, malaria can be devastating; it can lead to seizures, coma and eventually, death.