JOINT PRESS RELEASE
- On World Malaria Day, Mali becomes the 20thAfrican country to introduce the malaria vaccine
- Mali had 3.1% (8.15 million) of global malaria cases and 2.4% (14, 328) of global malaria deaths in 2023, and it was one of the 11 countries with the highest burden of malaria globally
- The hybrid approach will see children in Mali receive the first three doses based on age, with the fourth and fifth doses administered seasonally ahead of the high malaria transmission season
Kalaban Coro, Mali – On World Malaria Day, Mali’s Ministry of Health, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO), launched a first-of-its-kind malaria vaccine delivery approach, aiming to reach children aged 5 to 36 months.
The country becomes the 20th in Africa to introduce the malaria vaccine into its routine immunization programme with support from Gavi. It is the first globally to implement a hybrid approach to vaccine delivery: providing the first three doses monthly throughout the year based on age, followed by the fourth and fifth doses given seasonally in May or June of the following years, before the high malaria transmission season starts.
The R21/Matrix-M vaccine will initially be rolled out in 19 priority districts across five regions: Kayes, Koulikoro, Mopti, Ségou and Sikasso. The country currently has 927,800 R21/Matrix-M vaccines for introduction.
The 2024 WHO World Malaria Report shows Mali had 3.1% (8.15 million) of global malaria cases and 2.4% (14, 328) of global malaria deaths in 2023.
Mali was among eight countries with substantial increases in malaria caseloads between 2019 and 2023, with an increase of 1.4 million cases, according to data from WHO.
“You will agree with me that the process of introducing the malaria vaccine into the EPI was marked by the deployment of immense efforts by all stakeholders…” – Colonel Assa Badiallo Touré, Mali’s Minister of Health.
Gavi leads the global malaria vaccination programme… funding for its next five-year strategic period from 2026 to 2030.
Commenting on the historic roll-out, Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, said: “Gavi welcomes the Government of Mali’s commitment… We are proud to be a part of this vital step forward.”
UNICEF plays a vital role in distributing and delivering vaccines… promote vaccination, and counter misinformation.”
WHO coordinated the pilot evaluation of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi… leading to a 13% reduction in mortality.
“The malaria vaccine is one of the most consequential breakthroughs in public health…” – Dr Patrick Kabore, WHO Representative in Mali.
The vaccine complements existing malaria prevention measures already implemented by the Government of Mali…
Malaria vaccination in Africa
The introduction in Mali on World Malaria Day comes a few weeks after Uganda rolled out the largest malaria vaccine roll-out.
Since 2023, more than 24 million malaria vaccine doses have been delivered to the African continent…
In addition to the data from the MVIP… early results from countries such as Cameroon… 13 million children… 50 million more by 2030.