Ministry of Health headquarters. It has announced immunisation of children in malaria-endemic areas starting January 2018. [Photo: mygov.go.ke]The Ministry of Health has said that children in malaria-prone areas will be vaccinated against the disease in January 2018.Children aged between 5–17 months will be given the vaccine in four doses according to the ministry.These areas include Western Kenya and parts of the Rift Valley.
The vaccine passed previous scientific testing and was approved as safe and effective.
“We have local data proving this vaccine can significantly lower the risk of deadly malaria in young children. Now we have to see how best to provide it routinely to realise its potential,” head of the National Vaccine Immunisation Programme in Kenya, Dr Collins Tabu is quoted by the Star.
Kenya is one of three African countries selected by the World Health Organisation to participate in the first pilot implementation of the vaccine early next year.
Experts will be testing the vaccine’s effectiveness in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use, further reports the paper.In the past, while it was being tested, some children who received the injection developed short-term febrile seizures or convulsions within seven days after any of the four vaccine doses.A handful others developed meningitis and cerebral malaria.Scientists said it was unclear whether there is a link between these conditions and the vaccination. They said this will be monitored in the pilot implementation programme that starts in January.