(Agence Ecofin) – This week in health news is marked by progress and challenges in the face of malaria: three West African nations will expand vaccination, while Ivory Coast prepares to receive its doses. Meanwhile, Cameroon celebrates a significant drop in plasmodium-related death rates… On other fronts, the DRC faces a mpox outbreak in Equateur, while Nigeria investigates mysterious child deaths in the north…
Malaria vaccine: three West African countries will scale up
Three West African countries, Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone, will deploy the RTS,S malaria vaccine on a large scale on their territory, targeting millions of children. This initiative was announced yesterday Thursday April 25, on the occasion of World Malaria Day. The three countries will thus join five other countries on the continent in the supply of this vaccine.
In Benin, the Minister of Health, Professor Benjamin Hounkpatin, stressed that the introduction of this vaccine constitutes a major step forward in the fight against this parasitic disease. The country received 215,900 doses and added the formula to its Expanded Program on Immunization. The vaccine should be administered on a 4-dose schedule to children starting at approximately 5 months of age.
In Liberia, the vaccine was rolled out in Rivercess County, with the aim of reaching at least 45,000 children. The Minister of Health, Dr Louise Kpoto, for her part, underlined the importance of this initiative to put an end to the ravages of malaria among children.
Finally, in Sierra Leone, 550,000 doses are planned to be administered throughout the country.
For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) naturally welcomed this latest development, noting the importance of a coordinated response to protect children and reduce the burden of the disease in the region. Two vaccines are today validated and recommended by the UN agency, RTS,S and R21.
Distribution of deaths due to malaria worldwide.
Note that this gradual deployment of the vaccine in the countries of the continent continues with progress, particularly in a sub-Saharan context where the continent concentrates nearly 95% of all deaths due to this disease in 2022. In particular, eleven sub-Saharan countries carry around 70% of the global malaria burden, according to available data.
“ The African region is taking positive steps to expand the rollout of the malaria vaccine – a critical element in our fight against this deadly disease. said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Together with our partners, we are committed to supporting ongoing efforts to protect and save the lives of young children and reduce the burden of malaria in the region. »
Fight against malaria: Ivory Coast will soon receive the vaccine
Ivory Coast is preparing to follow in the footsteps of its neighbors by receiving the malaria vaccine. According to the coordinating director of the National Malaria Control Program, Dr Méa Tanoh Antoine, vaccination will begin next July, primarily targeting children under five years old. In the announcement, also made as a prelude to World Malaria Day, emphasis was placed on health equity and access to care for all Ivorians, with particular attention paid to most affected regions such as Bouaké. “ A population should not be forgotten in care “, urged Dr Méa. In Côte d’Ivoire, malaria remains a major public health problem. Thus, out of 100 cases who come for consultation, 33 people are linked to malaria.
Cameroon records a significant drop in the mortality rate linked to malaria
In Cameroon, the National Malaria Control Program (PNLP) noted a drop in the mortality rate linked to the disease in five years, between 2019 and 2023. During a press conference on the sidelines of the 17th World Malaria Day fight against malaria, the Program showed a 64% reduction in the mortality rate from 17.7 to 6.3 per 100,000 inhabitants exposed to malaria.
However, this encouraging trend hides still significant challenges. In 2023, the central African country recorded more than 4.8 million suspected cases of malaria, with more than a million cases classified as serious, of which 32% involved children under 5 years old. According to data from the Ministry of Public Health, in that same year, “ 28% reasons for consultations (10,617,542 people were seen for consultations in health facilities, including 2,977,754 confirmed cases of malaria) », and the disease represents almost 8% of hospitalizations, and more than 7% of recorded deaths, in health facilities.
DRC: Deadly outbreak of mpox with more than 250 deaths in Equateur
Further south, in the largest country in the sub-region, we continue to fight against mpox (monkey pox or monkeypox). Thus, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in the province of Équateur, the disease caused more than 250 deaths in the space of four months, according to the provincial health division. With more than 2,500 cases reported, the Lotumbe health zone is the most affected, recording more than 2,120 cases.
This contagious and potentially fatal disease has spread to 17 of the province’s 18 health zones. The Mbandaka health zone has also seen an alarming rise in cases, with more than 60 infections and several deaths, including that of a nurse from Lingunda. To deal with this crisis, the governor of the province officially declared a mpox epidemic. The latter calls for respecting basic hygiene measures and asks the population to report any symptoms to local health centers.
Mysterious deaths of children in Nigeria: suspicion of heavy metal poisoning
In Nigeria, an investigation is underway as cases of unexplained child deaths cause concern in three cities in the country. The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has launched an investigation after the deaths of 164 children aged between 4 and 13 years in Sokoto State. The disease, first reported in Sokoto and Zamfara, has spread to Kaduna.
The Director General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, held an emergency meeting with the health commissioners of the affected states to elucidate the cause and mitigate the impact. “ To date, a total of 196 suspected cases of the unknown disease with 7 deaths have been reported in Isa, Sabon Birni and Ilella local government areas of Sokoto State. The results of the analyzes on the various samples sent to the various partner laboratories, notably NIPRID, NAFDAC and NIMR, are awaited », Indicates the press release. “ Following reports of similar cases in Zamfara State, another national Rapid response team will be deployed this week to assess the situation and provide support to the state. »
For the moment, the pathology is “ suspected of being heavy metal poisoning potentially linked to mining activities », Indicates an official press release. Rapid response teams were deployed to assess the situation. Communities are urged to report any suspicious symptoms.
Sudan: Vaccination campaign against measles and rubella launched in Sennar
In Sudan, the authorities of Sennar, in the south-east of the country, are preparing to launch a vast vaccination campaign against measles and rubella, aimed at protecting more than a million children in the east of the country. The six-day campaign will begin tomorrow, aiming to vaccinate around 1,360,500 children in the state. During a joint meeting of the State Council of Ministers and the Security Committee, Sennar Governor Tawfig Mohamed stressed the full commitment of the authorities to ensure the success of the campaign. Reinforced security measures are also planned, with the deployment of police officers in all localities. Ghazi El Garray, head of immunization at Sennar’s Ministry of Health, called for collaboration between authorities and the population to ensure the success of the campaign. This operation follows an increase in cases of measles, reported in particular by Médecins Sans Frontières in 2023.
Polio situation in three African countries
In a weekly update, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative reported that three African countries recorded cases of wild poliovirus (WPV) and vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) last week. Chad confirmed a case of VDPV2, the first in 2024, while the Democratic Republic of Congo reported a case of VDPV1, also the first this year. In Nigeria, a case of VDPV2 was confirmed last week, marking the eighth this year. In 2023, Nigeria recorded 87 cases of VDPV2. The US CDC has issued travel advisories for these countries, recommending full vaccination before traveling there.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
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