R21/Matrix-M Malaria Vaccine
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a second new vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, for the prevention of malaria.
Among children.
➢ The first vaccine was the RTS, S/AS01 vaccine, which received a WHO recommendation in 2021.
About R21/Matrix-M
What is this?
First malaria vaccine to reach WHO’s 75% efficacy target.
Developed by: University of Oxford, Serum Institute of India, European and developing countries Clinical trials
Partnership (‘EDCTP’), the Wellcome Trust and the European Investment Bank (‘EIB’)
features
• The R21/Matrix-M vaccine has been approved for use in some countries like Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Extra Mile: Malaria
About • It is a mosquito-borne blood disease caused by Plasmodium protozoa.
• The parasite is spread by the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• In the human body, the parasites initially multiply in the liver cells and then attack the red blood.
cells (RBC).
Symptoms • Fever and flu-like illness, including chills, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue.
fact Related to Malaria
• According to the latest Report there are 247 million cases of malaria in 2021 as compared to 245 million cases in 2020.
• More than 45 thousand cases of malaria were reported in India in 2022.
• About 80 percent of all malaria deaths occur in children under five years of age
WHO African Region.
• Four Countries in Africa Like (Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Republic of
Tanzania and Niger) are responsible for more than half of all malaria deaths worldwide.
• Gene drive is a type of genetic engineering technology that modifies genes so that they
Do not follow specific rules of heredity. This technique can be an effective way
Eradicate nuisance species such as mosquitoes that spread malaria.
Initiatives
WHO Initiatives
- o E-2025 Initiative – 25 countries have been identified to eliminate malaria by 2025
- o High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) – launched in 11 high malaria burden countries,
- To reinvigorate the pace of progress in the global malaria fight, including in India.
- o WHO’s Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 aims to reduce the incidence of malaria
- Incidence and mortality rates will be at least 40% by 2020, at least 75% by 2025, and at least
- 90% by 2030 compared to the 2015 baseline.
Indian Initiative
- The National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination for 5 Years was launched in 2017
- The Government of India has set a target to eliminate malaria in India by 2027.
- Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India) was established by the Indian
- Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
- o India gifts one lakh anti-malaria tablets of hydroxychloroquine and 50,000 surgical tablets
- Gloves for Bangladesh.
o Real-time data monitoring through an integrated health information platform (HIPMalaria Portal).
