WHO announces world's first malaria vaccine

The world’s first malaria vaccine should be given to children across Africa, the World Health Organization recommended on Wednesday.

WHO said its decision was based largely on results from ongoing research in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that tracked more than 800,000 children who have received the vaccine since 2019.The malaria vaccine known as Mosquirix was developed by GlaxoSmithKline in 1987.

While it is the first to be authorized, it does have challenges: the vaccine is only about 30% effective, requires up to four doses and its protection fades after several months. Africa still suffers the world's highest burden of malaria in - more than 200 million cases a year and 400,000 deaths.