As World Malaria Day Will Be Celebrated This Thursday
PHOTO: Dr. Washington, Program Manager of the National Malaria Control of Liberia (in a Lappa shirt
The Ministry of Health is this Thursday, April 25,2024 expected to launch the World Health Organization pre-qualify malaria vaccine in Rivercess County.
Speaking in an interview via telephone, the program manager of the National Malaria Control Programme, Dr. Trokon Washington said this is the first time in the history of science, public health and disease control for such a vaccine to be launched.
He said World Malaria Day celebrations is important because it’s a call to action against the deadly disease malaria and momentum to have malaria free Liberia.
Dr. Washington disclosed that the vaccine will only target under-aged children from five to sixteen months.
According to him, the vaccine is comprised of four doses and will be given to children from five, six, seven and sixteen months which will always be available to health facilities across the country free of charge.
The head of the malaria control program added that this malaria vaccine will be given in phases and phase will start with the six southeastern counties– Rivercess, Grand Gedeh, Sinoe, Grand Kru, RiverGee and Maryland. And thereafter, they will begin with the remaining nine counties which include Margibi, Montserrado, Nimba, Bong, Lofa, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Gbapolu and Grand Bassa.
He explained that the reason why they are starting with the Southeastern counties is because of the high prevalence of malaria affecting children.
“Approximately, over 36,946 underage children are expected to be vaccinated with this newly malaria vaccine in the southeastern region.
We will also be launching the mass tested insecticide mosquito net and at the same celebrating World Malaria Day on the same Thursday of April 25,2024 at the Rivercess District hospital,” Dr. Washington added. The total mosquito nets to be distributed in the country is 3.1 million.
Dignitaries to attend this even are Representatives from the US Embassy near Monrovia, representatives from the British Embassy, the Minister of Health, Expanded Programme on Immunization and other high level of government officials.
“Currently, we have over 120,000 doses of malaria vaccines in stock which will last for a longer period of time,” Dr. Washington lamented.
“The newly malaria vaccine is important because, it reduces hospitalization admissions to 30%, complicated malaria, mortality and mobility “
Speaking further, Dr. Washington said that massive awareness will be done in order to have parents aware to take their underage children for the children.
Dr. Washington also stressed on the importance of celebrating World Malaria Day that it is a life-threatening disease that continues to affect millions of people globally and Liberia is no exception.
“It’s important to celebrate this Day because Liberia has been significant strides in the reduction of malaria from 45% in 2016-2022 to 17.7% according to the Liberia malaria indicator survey done,” Ministry of Health Malaria Control program head revealed.
World malaria day celebration came about in 2007 when the General Assembly from the World Health Organization was able to recognize the fact that there should be Malaria Day celebration so that attention can be drawn in order to sustain investment and political will and for malaria prevention and control.
Meanwhile, Dr. Washington is cautioning everyone to prevent malaria by cleaning their respective environments in every aspect in or to a malaria free country.