Malawi Hosts African Nations to Share Malaria Vaccine Implementation Lessons
The workshop underscores the importance of international collaboration in combating malaria, with Malawi's experience serving as a valuable case study for other African nations.
LILONGWE, Malawi— Malawi's Ministry of Health launched a three-day Country Peer Learning workshop on Monday, aiming to share its experience in introducing and rolling out the malaria vaccine with other African nations, writes Martin Kamlaike.
Health Minister Khumbidze Kandodo Chiponda revealed sobering statistics at the workshop's opening at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe.
In 2023, 6 million Malawians suffered from malaria, with over 1,600 fatalities.
Despite these numbers, Chiponda expressed optimism about the country's progress.
"As a country, Malawi, I can say that we are doing good in terms of managing malaria," she said.
The minister highlighted the vaccine rollout in 12 districts as a key strategy, complementing existing interventions such as mosquito net distribution and prophylaxis for pregnant women.
Delegates from Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Kenya are attending the workshop to learn from Malawi's experience as an early adopter of the malaria vaccine.
Dr. Neema Kimambo, World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative for Malawi, provided a global perspective.
"Globally, we have around 290,000,000 malaria cases out of which around 608,000 deaths were recorded," she said, citing the latest global malaria report.
Africa bears the brunt of this burden, accounting for 95% of global cases.
Kimambo emphasized that the vaccine alone is not a panacea.
"The good thing is that in the introduction, you have been able to show that you can introduce the vaccine and continue with other interventions," she noted.
UNICEF Country Representative for Malawi, Shadrack Omol, expressed satisfaction with the workshop.
"Malawi is making good progress. So, progress is being made, and we have seen that other countries are coming to learn our experiences since 2019," Omol said.
Malawi was one of the pilot countries for the WHO's malaria vaccine trials, positioning it as a leader in implementing this new tool against one of Africa's most persistent public health challenges.
The workshop underscores the importance of international collaboration in combating malaria, with Malawi's experience serving as a valuable case study for other African nations considering vaccine implementation.