Groundbreaking Malaria Treatments and Vaccines Gain Momentum Across Africa

The past two days have brought significant developments and fresh insights into the global fight against malaria, particularly regarding new treatments and the ongoing rollout of malaria vaccines across Africa.

A groundbreaking approval came from the Swiss agency for therapeutic products, Swissmedic, which has authorized the use of the first malaria treatment designed specifically for babies and very young children between two months and five years of age. As detailed by The Conversation Africa, this approval is profoundly important given that previous treatments used for this age group were simply modified versions of drugs for older children, not tailored for infants’ unique needs. Novartis, with support from Medicines for Malaria Venture, is introducing Coartem Baby on a not-for-profit basis, representing a major step toward bridging the treatment gap for millions of infants born annually in malaria-endemic areas. Ghana has already rolled out this new treatment, with additional approvals anticipated soon in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. Nevertheless, successful deployment will require ongoing investment in local manufacturing infrastructure and funding for broad distribution, and overcoming challenges such as power outages, which may require innovative solutions like lyophilisation, or freeze-drying, to preserve the medication in difficult environments.

Alongside treatment advances, the malaria vaccine campaign continues to gain momentum. According to a news roundup from The Medicine Maker, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is scaling up its malaria vaccination efforts after a launch in December 2024 saw the first million doses of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine—targeted at children from five months of age—integrated into routine immunization programs, initially in Bayelsa and Kebbi states. Health officials have hailed the campaign as a monumental step forward, aiming to dramatically reduce malaria mortality and move toward a malaria-free Nigeria. Emphasis remains on the importance of completing the four-dose regimen and combining vaccination with proven measures like distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets and seasonal malaria chemoprevention.

More countries are expected to introduce or scale up malaria vaccine programs in 2025 and beyond, according to Malaria Journal. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, continues to play a crucial role in supporting the delivery of vaccines to some of the most vulnerable populations, despite broader challenges in global health funding—a recurring theme in reports from organizations such as Think Global Health, which noted recent struggles with reduced budgets for immunization programs and public health initiatives.

Despite these positive strides, adoption of the malaria vaccine still faces hurdles. A scientific article from MalariaWorld published on July 31, 2025, examined the ongoing challenges in vaccine uptake, emphasizing that community engagement and awareness will be key to driving widespread acceptance and achieving high coverage among children under five.

There have also been promising updates on alternative malaria prevention strategies. Applied Clinical Trials reported on August 1, 2025, that monthly administration of ivermectin in a large Kenyan study reduced malaria infection rates by 26%, meeting World Health Organization efficacy thresholds and suggesting potential for broader use as a complementary vector-control strategy.

While the global health community celebrates important progress, experts caution that sustainable funding and robust local systems remain central to achieving the long-term goal of ending malaria by 2030—a goal set by the World Health Organization that now appears increasingly feasible, yet still dependent on overcoming significant logistical and financial barriers.

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The past two days have brought significant developments and fresh
insights into the global fight against malaria, particularly regarding new
treatments and the ongoing rollout of malaria vaccines across Africa.
A groundbreaking approval came from the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic
Products Swiss medic which has authorized the use of the

(00:21):
first malaria treatment designed specifically for babies and very young
children between two months and five years of age. As
detailed by the Conversation Africa, this approval is profoundly important
given that previous treatments used for this age group were
simply modified versions of drugs for older children, not tailored
for infant's unique needs. Novardes, with support from Medicines for

(00:44):
Malaria Venture, is introducing Quortum Baby on a not for
profit basis, representing a major step toward bridging the treatment
gap for millions of infants born annually in malaria endemic areas.
Ghana has already rolled out this new tribe treatment, with
additional approvals anticipated soon in Burkina, Fasso, Coteivoir, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria,

(01:07):
Tanzania and Uganda. Nevertheless, successful deployment will require ongoing investment
in local manufacturing infrastructure and funding for broad distribution, and
overcoming challenges such as power outages which may require innovative
solutions like lyophilization or freeze drying to preserve the medication
in difficult environments. Alongside treatment advances, the malaria vaccine campaign

(01:32):
continues to gain momentum. According to a news roundup from
the medicine maker, Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is scaling
up its malaria vaccination efforts after a launch in December
twenty twenty four saw the first million doses of the
R twenty one matrix m vaccine, targeted at children from
five months of age, integrated into routine immunization programs initially

(01:55):
in Bielsa and Kebe states. Health officials have hailed the
campaign as as a monumental step forward, aiming to dramatically
reduce malaria mortality and move toward a malaria free Nigeria.
Emphasis remains on the importance of completing the four dose
regimen and combining vaccination with proven measures like distribution of

(02:15):
insecticide treated bednets and seasonal malaria chemoprevention. More countries are
expected to introduce or scale up malaria vaccine programs in
twenty twenty five and beyond. According to Malaria Journal GAVE,
the Vaccine Alliance continues to play a crucial role in
supporting the delivery of vaccines to some of the most

(02:36):
vulnerable populations, despite broader challenges in global health funding a
recurring theme in reports from organizations such as Think Global Health,
which noted recent struggles with reduced budgets for immunization programs
and public health initiatives. Despite these positive strides, adoption of

(02:56):
the malaria vaccine still faces hurdles. A scientific article from
Malaria World published on July thirty first, twenty twenty five,
examine the ongoing challenges in vaccine uptake, emphasizing that community
engagement and awareness will be key to driving widespread acceptance
and achieving high coverage among children under five. There have

(03:17):
also been promising updates on alternative malaria prevention strategies. Applied
clinical Trials reported on August first, twenty twenty five, that
monthly administration of ivermectin in a large Kenyan study reduced
malaria infection rates by twenty six percent, meeting World Health
organization efficacy thresholds and suggesting potential for broader use as

(03:39):
a complementary vector control strategy. While the global health community
celebrates important progress, experts caution that sustainable funding and robust
local systems remains central to achieving the long term goal
of ending malaria by twenty thirty, a goal set by
the World Health Organization that now appears increasingly fees yet

(04:00):
still dependent on overcoming significant logistical and financial barriers.