The leading cause of mortality in Ivory Coast, malaria, is closer to its erasure. Thursday, June 27th, 2024, was the day when the nation received 131,100 doses of malaria vaccines. With this, Ivory Coast is one of the first five African countries to get the very vital vaccines.
For children between 0 and 5 years, malaria is devastating, where around 280 deaths per 1,000 occurring. Relatively, Ivory Coast has opted for prevention by including these malaria vaccines in its expanded routine immunization program, which is due to start on July 15th, 2024. The disease accounts for 30% of hospital consultations.
“With these vaccines, we can strengthen our arsenal to eliminate malaria in our country,” said IVorian Health Minister Pierre Demba during the vaccine reception. In this regard, the Ministry of Health targets the vaccination of 250,000 children from 0 to 23 months spread over 38 health districts in 16 regions. The goal, by the end of 2024, is to gradually extend vaccination into the remaining 75 health districts.
It’s a major milestone in this African nation’s relentless war with malaria, campaigns fighting to reduce its prevalence and save its young souls.