In Cameroon, malaria cases have decreased among vaccinated children. Mothers attest to this, and it is also the report of prevention experts following the rollout of the first vaccines against the mosquito-borne disease. For Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the impact is considerable.
“We have been waiting for this vaccine for thirty years. When this vaccine is used in combination with the other tools we have, at the right time, before the rainy season, and we administer the full doses, infant mortality decreases and the number of cases drops by 70%. That is a considerable impact,” she said.
In November 2023, Cameroon received its first batch of malaria vaccines, marking a significant milestone in the fight against this deadly disease in Africa. Statistics from those responsible for prevention at the National Malaria Control Program further illustrate this point.
Statistically, we can say that approximately 60% of children received at least three doses of the malaria vaccine in 2025. It is a vaccine that works quite well and is well accepted by the population. Unfortunately, for children who had appointments for their fourth dose, we observed on the ground that the results were not satisfactory; therefore, a strategy was put in place with the support of the Expanded Programme on Immunization. Unfortunately, for children who had appointments for their fourth dose, it became clear that the program's performance on the ground was not up to par; this is why a strategy was implemented in collaboration with the Expanded Programme on Immunization to call parents and caregivers to remind them of the appointment for the fourth dose, which is administered at the age of two,” explained Dr. Dominique Bomba, Head of Prevention at the National Malaria Control Program.
According to the WHO, approximately 70% of malaria deaths in Cameroon occur in children under five. The UN agency considers this vaccine a major breakthrough and a unique opportunity to save lives and reduce the disease in the country.
