At the much-anticipated meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday issued recommendations for three new groundbreaking vaccines to combat malaria, dengue, and meningitis, according to Kate O'Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO.

Geneva.- Nearly half the world’s population remains at risk of malaria. In 2021 alone, there were an estimated 247 million cases of malaria, leading to 619,000 deaths. 95% of these cases and fatalities occurred in Africa, disproportionately claiming the lives of children under the age of 5.

In response, SAGE and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group recommended R21/Matrix-M, a vaccine designed to safeguard vulnerable children from this infectious disease.

This milestone follows the endorsement by the WHO of the first malaria vaccine, RTS, S, two years ago by the WHO, and brings us one step closer to our vision of a malaria-free world. 

Both vaccines are shown to be safe and effective in preventing malaria in children and, when implemented broadly, are expected to have a high public health impact.

The SAGE meeting also recommended a dengue vaccine named “Qdenga”. Tailored for children aged 6 to 16 living in dengue hotspots, this vaccine has the potential to shield youth from a significant public health menace.

A third recommendation concerned the new Men5CV vaccine against meningitis, and for all countries in the African meningitis belt to introduce the novel pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine targeting serogroups A, C, Y, W, and X (Men5CV) into their routine immunization programs in a single-dose schedule at 9 to 18 months of age.

The meeting also issued a recommendation regarding COVID-19 vaccination, concluding that a single dose is sufficient for primary immunization, given that most people have had at least one prior infection. (PL)