ANTI-MALARIAL VACCINE

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Context

In a historic move, the World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed the first anti-malarial vaccine.

About

The WHO said that it was recommending the use of the RTS, S/AS01 (RTS, S) malaria vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high falciparum malaria transmission.

Significance

Malaria remains a primary cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa.
The disease kills more than 2, 60,000 African children under the age of five annually.
The vaccine does significantly reduce life-threatening severed malaria.

Malaria

Malaria is caused by single-celled microorganisms of the Plasmodium group parasites.
The disease is most commonly spread by an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
The mosquito bite introduces the parasites from the mosquito's saliva into a person's blood.
The parasites travel to the liver where they mature and reproduce.
Five species of Plasmodium can infect and be spread by humans.
Most deaths are caused by falciparum, whereas P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae generally cause a milder form of malaria.
The species knowlesi rarely causes disease in humans.
Malaria is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, South America as well as Asia.
Symptoms: fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause yellow skin, seizures, coma, or death.
Malaria is preventable as well as curable.
Vaccine: RTS, vaccine.

India and Malaria

According to the World Malaria Report 2019, India represents 3% of the global malaria burden.
Despite being the highest malaria burden country of the South East Asia region, India reported a decline of 17.6% in 2019 as compared to 2018.
India has made remarkable progress during the recent years in reducing the malaria incidence.
In May 2015, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Technical Strategy (GTS) for Malaria Elimination 2016-2030, which lays down clear global goals, milestones and targets till 2030.
In accordance with the GTS, the Government of India launched the National Framework for Malaria Elimination 2016-2030 and the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination 2017-2022 with WHO support.
India has a vision of a malaria free country by 2027 and elimination by 2030.
The WHO has also identified 25 countries with the potential to eradicate malaria by 2025 under its ‘E-2025 Initiative’.

Trivia

China is the first country in the WHO Western Pacific Region to be awarded a malaria-free certification in more than 3 decades.
Globally, 40 countries and territories have been granted a malaria-free certification from WHO.
Recent Declarations: El Salvador (2021), Algeria (2019), Argentina (2019), Paraguay (2018) and Uzbekistan (2018).
Countries that have achieved at least three consecutive years of zero indigenous cases can apply for WHO certification of their malaria-free status.

China’s Malaria Elimination Strategy in brief

1-3-7 Strategy: The strategy refers to:
A one-day deadline to report a malaria diagnosis,
Confirming a case and determining the spread by the third day, and
Measures taken to stop the spread by the seventh day, along with continued surveillance in high-risk areas.