In rural Malawi, the introduction of the malaria vaccine has sparked hope and relief among families, with many parents reporting fewer cases of the disease and more time to focus on their livelihoods.
In Sangano Village, Phalombe district, 38-year-old Lucy Zakaria, a mother of five, recounts the significant changes since her youngest child, Favour, received the malaria vaccine. Cradling her one-year-and-eight-month-old daughter at the district hospital, Zakaria shares how trips to the hospital, once routine due to frequent malaria cases, have dramatically reduced. “I used to cycle to the hospital four times a week because my children suffered from malaria,” she recalls.
Favour is among 400,000 children in Malawi who have been vaccinated under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP). Phalombe is one of 11 districts selected for the pilot program due to its high malaria burden. The vaccine, combined with existing measures like insecticide-treated nets and case management, has led to significant improvements. Between 2016 and 2021, malaria incidence in Malawi dropped from 407 to 361 cases per 1,000 people, while mortality fell from 23 to 8 per 100,000.
Adrian Chikumbe, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health (MoH), highlighted the vaccine’s impact, particularly in the pilot districts. He emphasized that other malaria control measures remain crucial. In high-burden districts such as Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Mangochi, and Balaka, the ministry is also implementing mosquito-spraying programs to complement vaccination efforts.
Despite the progress, vaccine supply remains limited. Dr. Mike Chisema, EPI Programme Manager at the MoH, noted the global demand for malaria vaccines, with countries like Cameroon, South Sudan, and Nigeria also rolling out immunization campaigns. Expansion plans are underway in Malawi, but availability challenges persist.
For families like Zakaria’s, the vaccine has brought tangible benefits. “My husband and I grow maize and soya beans and run small businesses. Less illness means fewer disruptions to our work and income,” she says. Encouraging other parents to vaccinate their children, Zakaria adds, “This vaccine is a blessing. It keeps our children healthy and allows us to focus on providing for our family.”