Day: July 21, 2022

 

Preparations are underway for the mass rollout of the world’s first malaria vaccine to protect millions of children in Africa.

The rollout is being funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for nearly $160 million.

The World Health Organization said Gavi’s multimillion-dollar funding marks a key advance in the fight against one of Africa’s most severe public health threats. It noted that countries in sub-Saharan Africa bear the brunt of the yearly toll of more than 240 million global cases of malaria, including more than 600,000 reported deaths. The main victims are children under age 5.

WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said one child dies every minute in Africa, with catastrophic consequences for families, communities and national development.

The vaccine was introduced in Africa in 2019. Since then, more than 1.3 million children have benefited from the lifesaving inoculations in three pilot countries — Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. Moeti said those countries have reported a 30 percent drop in hospitalizations of children with severe malaria and a 9% reduction in child deaths.

“If delivered at scale, millions of new cases could be averted, and tens of thousands of lives saved every year,” Moeti said. “We were encouraged to see that demand for the vaccine is high, even in the context of COVID-19, with the first dose reaching between 73% to over 90% coverage.”

Thabani Maphosa, managing director of country programs at Gavi, called the vaccine the most effective tool in the fight against malaria, one that will save children’s lives. However, he said, demand for the lifesaving product will outstrip supply.

“Our challenge during this critical phase is to ensure the doses we have available are used as effectively and equitably as possible,” Maphosa said. “With this is mind, Gavi today is opening an application window for malaria support.”

He said the three pilot countries, which already have experience in rolling out the vaccine, will get first crack at applying for and receiving funding. So, practically speaking, Maphosa said, they will require little help in setting up their systems to get the operation underway.

Maphosa said a second round of funding will take place at the end of the year. At that time, he said other countries with moderate to high cases of severe malaria can submit applications for support.

 

 

Source: Voice of America

 

An unvaccinated young adult from New York recently contracted polio, the first U.S. case in nearly a decade, health officials said Thursday.

Officials said the patient, who lives in Rockland County, had developed paralysis. The person developed symptoms a month ago and did not recently travel outside the country, county health officials said.

It appears the patient had a vaccine-derived strain of the virus, perhaps from someone who got live vaccine — available in other countries, but not the U.S. — and spread it, officials said.

The person is no longer deemed contagious, but investigators are trying to figure out how the infection occurred and whether other people may have been exposed to the virus.

Most Americans are vaccinated against polio, but unvaccinated people may be at risk, said Rockland County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert. Health officials scheduled vaccination clinics nearby soon and encouraged anyone who has not been vaccinated to get the shots.

“We want shots in the arms of those who need it,” she said at a Thursday press conference announcing the case.

Feared disease

Polio was once one of the nation’s most feared diseases, with annual outbreaks causing thousands of cases of paralysis, many of them in children.

Vaccines became available starting in 1955, and a national vaccination campaign cut the annual number of U.S. cases to fewer than 100 in the 1960s and fewer than 10 in the 1970s, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 1979, polio was declared eliminated in the U.S., meaning there was no longer routine spread.

Rarely, travelers have brought polio infections into the U.S. The last such case was in 2013, when a 7-month-old who had recently moved to the U.S. from India was diagnosed in San Antonio, Texas, according to federal health officials. That child also had the type of polio found in the live form of vaccine used in other countries.

There are two types of polio vaccines. The U.S. and many other countries use shots made with an inactivated version of the virus. But some countries where polio has been more of a recent threat use a weakened live virus that is given to children as drops in the mouth. In rare instances, the weakened virus can mutate into a form capable of sparking new outbreaks.

U.S. children are still routinely vaccinated against polio with the inactivated vaccine. Federal officials recommend four doses: to be given at 2 months of age; 4 months; at 6 to 18 months; and at age 4 through 6 years. Some states require only three doses.

According to the CDC’s most recent childhood vaccination data, about 93% of 2-year-olds had received at least three doses of polio vaccine.

How it spreads

Polio spreads mostly from person to person or through contaminated water. It can infect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis and possibly permanent disability and death. The disease mostly affects children.

Polio is endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, although numerous countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia have also reported cases in recent years.

Rockland County, in New York City’s northern suburbs, has been a center of vaccine resistance in recent years. A 2018-19 measles outbreak there infected 312 people.

Last month, health officials in Britain warned parents to make sure children have been vaccinated because the polio virus had been found in London sewage samples. No cases of paralysis were reported.

 

 

Source: Voice of America

Luanda – Angolans are going to the polls for the fifth time in the country’s history on 24 August to simultaneously elect the President of the Republic, the Vice President and the Members of the National Assembly (Angolan Parliament).

By Elias Tumba

This is a cycle that, every five years, allows the people to decide freely, peacefully and democratically their own destiny, through general elections.

This right, enshrined in the Constitution, is a sublime moment for citizens to express their desire to change or maintain the current leadership in a political dispute where, above all, a high sense of patriotism is expected.

The elections represent a suitable period for political players and voters to analyse the best ways of developing the country, discussing the priorities of the moment and the model of society that is to be implemented in the short and medium term.

By holding the ballot, every Angolan has in his/her hands the possibility of helping to improve the course and image of the country, although it is certain that, at that time, much remains to be done, fundamentally in the political, economic and social fields.

Everyone knows that there are still heavy challenges ahead, particularly in the areas of health, education, consolidation of the democratic state and the rule of law, crime, employment, basic sanitation and the fight against poverty, all of which should be on the agenda of those who propose to lead the nation after the elections.

Alongside these sectors, society demands new solutions to the issue of the distribution of national wealth, the promotion of employment and housing, as well as the improvement of public transport services, which increase the importance of these elections.

When thinking about this year’s vote, we must take into account the great fragilities of the country and the real needs of the people, particularly of the poorest families, without, however, overlooking the great achievements of the last five years.

Therefore, the time has come for each voter to demand substantial improvements from those who seek the vote, electing politicians committed to ending social inequality.

With less than 24 hours to go before the official opening of the election campaign, Angolans are expecting a “tight” race and are almost certain that this year the country will have one of the most difficult elections in its history, like the one held in 1992.

This “battle” comes at a time when Angola is trying to recover from the harsh impact of Covid-19 pandemic, which stagnated the economy and severely affected the employment market.

While it is true that the pandemic prevented the realisation of projects practically everywhere in the world and, in Angola’s case, of many electoral promises made in 2017, it is hoped that the contestants will present the voter with sustainable solutions for the 2022-2027 five-year period.

These general elections should represent for every Angolan a moment of renewed hope for better days and that the government programmes submitted to the voter by the different candidates will in fact be achieved.

Given the current context of the country and the world, it is hoped that, in this electoral campaign, each contender will clearly explain his/her medium and long-term national project, as well as the strategies for substantially improving the people’s living quality.

Thus, contestants should face the moment with patriotism, refraining from “incendiary” speeches that might endanger the foundations of peace, democracy and national reconciliation, hardly won by Angolans.

Since this is a time of great excitement and expectations, the contestants are required, more than mere promises, to present governance programmes that are increasingly adjusted to the country’s reality and are capable of rapidly improving the social and economic condition of families.

In particular, it is expected lasting solutions for the still weak National Health System, education, public transport and basic sanitation, as well as for the fight against crime, improvement of public lighting and supply of drinking water.

In the same way, we expect more adequate solutions for the promotion of employment and housing, particularly for youth, as well as a clear vision of how each of the contenders intends to carry out State reforms.

Beyond the issue of governance programmes and election manifestos, each of the contestants should bear in mind that elections are not the end of everything and that, behind their political ambitions, there is a people whose choice needs to be respected.

For the process to run smoothly, it is imperative that civil society, particularly the churches, work on mobilising voters to turn out to vote and encourage political actors to respect the people choice.

In the specific case of the Church, respect for democratic foundations must be taken into account, which are crucial for the stability of the country and the strengthening of national reconciliation, refraining from campaigning in favour of any of the contenders.

The media is also recommended to have plural and impartial coverage based only on relevant facts, without any kind of partisan and political propaganda in favour of anyone, as stipulated in the Press Law and the Electoral Legislation.

 

 

Source: Angola Press News Agency

 

Luanda – With a total of 14.399 million voters, of whom 22,560 are based in 12 foreign countries, Angola holds, on 24 August, the fifth elections in its history, after 27 years of war.

This year’s polls will be the third in a row, after those in 2008, 2012 and 2017, which confirmed the irreversibility of the electoral processes in the country, leaving behind the uncertainties after the 1992 elections.

The first multiparty elections took place on the 29th and 30th of September 1992, to elect the President of the Republic (presidential) and the MPs of Parliament (legislative), after the signing of the Bicesse Accords.

Bicesse (Portugal) peace agreements were signed by the Government and UNITA in May 1991, putting an end to an armed conflict that had lasted 16 years.

According to available data, voter turnout was 91.3% for parliamentarians and 91.2% for presidential elections.

The numbers show that 4.8 million voters went to the polls in this suffrage, which had the participation of 17 political parties and a coalition of political parties.

For the legislative elections, the contending political parties vied for 220 seats in the National Assembly.

According to the results released by the then National Council of Elections, there would be a need for a second round of the presidential elections, between José Eduardo dos Santos, leader of the MPLA, with 49% of the votes, and Jonas Savimbi, leader of UNITA, with 41%.

Specifically, the final results dictated that José Eduardo dos Santos, candidate for the MPLA, took first place, with 1.8 million votes (49.57 percent), followed by UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi, who obtained 1.5 million votes (40.07 percent).

However, the second round never took place, because of the return of the war.

In total, there were 12 candidates in the presidential elections, one of whom, Mfulumpinga Nlando Víctor, who decided to withdraw after the ballot papers to had been printed.

As for the legislative, the MPLA got a total of 1.9 million votes (53.7 percent), winning 129 parliamentary seats, followed by UNITA, which managed 1.2 million votes (34.1 percent), corresponding to 70 seats.

For the National Assembly there were 11 political parties and the only coalition that ran for suffrage, the Democratic Alliance-Coalition (AD-Coalition).

2008

The second general elections were held on September 5, 2008, with a universe of 8.2 million voters. Of this number, 6.1 million voters attended the polls (12.5% ​​abstention).

Unlike the 1992 polls, the 2008 elections were only legislative, that is, for the election of MPs to the National Assembly (AN).

A total of 14 political parties participated in the suffrage, won by the MPLA, with 81% of the votes (191 MPs), followed by UNITA, with 10.39% (16), PRS 3.17% (08), New Democracy (ND ) 1.20% (0) and FNLA 1.11 (03).

The remaining political parties, namely PLD, FPD, PDP-ANA, PPE, PAJOCA, FOFAC, PADEPA, PRD and AD, did not elect any member to National Assembly.

2012

The third general elections were held on  August 31, 2012, under the new Constitution of the Republic, approved in 2010 by the National Assembly.

Since then, the President of the Republic (head-of-list of the most voted party) and MPs to the National Assembly have been elected simultaneously.

With an abstention of 37%, 9. 7 million voters went to the polls.

Once again, the MPLA won, with 71.84% (175 MPs), and consequently elected its head of the list, José Eduardo dos Santos, for the position of President of the Republic.

UNITA ranked second with 18.66% (32 MPs), the Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola-Electoral Coalition (CASA-CE), 6.00% (08), PRS 1. 70% (03) and the FNLA, 1. 13% (02).

Meanwhile, the ND (New Democracy), the PAPOD (Popular Party for Development), the FUMA (United Front for Angola Change) and the CPO (Political Council of the Opposition) did not elect any member for the Parliament.

2017

Meanwhile, on August 23, 2017, the country held its fourth general election, with the participation of 9.3 million voters.

Of this number, only 7.093 million voters attended the polling stations, with the abstention rate standing at 13.80%.

According to the final results, the MPLA won, with 61.08% of the valid votes, electing João Lourenço as the new President of the Republic of Angola.

UNITA got 26.67% (51 MPs), CASA-CE 9.44% (16), PRS 1.35% (02), FNLA 0.93% and the National Patriotic Alliance (APN) 0.51%, the last without electing any member to the National Assembly.

 

 

 

Source: Angola Press News Agency

 

Luanda – With the start of the electoral campaign in Angola on Friday (July 22), the challenge has been launched for the contending political parties to persuading voters.

By Frederico Issuzo

The country has entered a countdown stage, with the Government suspending its powers to limit itself to “current management” and cancel the inaugurations.

In addition to suspending the inauguration of public or private works, the donation of material and financial goods to voters before election day has also been banned.

The vote is scheduled for the 24th of August, and, to date, the eight contending political parties admitted, including seven political parties and a coalition, are forced to tour the entire country, in an attempt to win the support of the voters.

Of the country’s 18 provinces, Luanda, Huíla, Benguela and Huambo remain the four largest strongholds, accounting for more than half of the total of 14.3 million registered voters.

The four provinces total 8.2 million voters, or 57.2 percent, of whom 4.6 million are in Luanda alone (37%), while the remaining three each have over one million citizens eligible to vote.

For the finance of the election campaign, the State allocated 1.1 billion kwanzas (almost USD 2.5 million ) to each candidate, a slight increase from the 1.04 billion allocated for the 2017 elections.

This amount represents an upward revision of the initial allocation of 444 million kwanzas and responds to the complaints of political parties, who had considered it “paltry”.

It is now expected that candidates roll up their sleeves to enter the field and, at the end, know how to justify the fate of the funds received.

Everything indicates that these elections, the fifth in the country’s history, will be the most disputed, compared to the previous elections held in 1992, 2008, 2012 and 2017.

Amid the uncertainties about the results, there is, at least, the certainty that the undertaking will have as an inevitable outcome the triumph of continuity or alternation.

The dominant opinion admits that today there is more democratic maturity on the part of Angolans, associated with the numerical growth of the electorate, mostly young.

The expansion of voting rights to the diaspora, who are voting for the first time, reinforces the range of factors that feed expectations of greater competitiveness.

The idea of ​​a fiercer battle than in the past is also reflected in the alliances tested by the opposition to face the ruling party, the MPLA.

An attempt was made to unify electorates from different political forces, to expand the possibilities of better performance at the polls, by building a common opposition front.

However, the possibility of creating a new agglutinating entity, which could stand on its own feet under the designation of “United Patriotic Front” (FPU), became unfeasible for legal reasons.

The alternative found was to incorporate into the list of the main opposition party, UNITA, figures of other political sensibilities, including in the position of candidate for vice president, to run as independents.

This is an option authorised by the Electoral Law, according to which candidacies can integrate citizens not registered in the respective political parties and coalitions.

Three possible scenarios

On the 24th of August, Angolans will choose a new President of the Republic, his deputy and 220 new MPs to the National Assembly (Parliament).

Conservation, the MPLA’s loss of an absolute majority in Parliament and the opposition’s winning a simple majority are the three possible scenarios.

The absolute majority allows its holder to “rule alone”, that is, to form his governing team without the need to negotiate or establish an alliance with other parties, as can happen in simple majorities.

But what is certain is that, against all the advantages and disadvantages of each scenario, the common denominator is that the winning party, with an absolute majority or not, will automatically elect its presidential candidate.

According to Article 109 of the Angolan Constitution, “the President of the Republic and Head  Executive are elected the head of the list, by the national constituency, of the political party or coalition of political parties most voted in the context of the general elections, carried out under article 143rd and of this Constitution”.

There are, in total, eight candidates running for the presidential elections, including the outgoing Head of State, João Lourenço, and the leader of the largest opposition party, Adalberto Costa Júnior.

Florbela Catarina Malaquias is the only woman on the list and the second in the history of the Angolan electoral process, after Anália de Victória Pereira, in 1992.

The latter ran for the Presidency of the Republic along with 10 other candidates, in September 1992, under the banner of the now extinct Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), having placed 10th or penultimate, with 11,475 votes (0.29%).

This time, Florbela Malaquias, a 63-year-old lawyer, is running for the new Humanist Party of Angola (PHA), born at the end of last May.

The only one of the 13 existing political parties in the country led by a woman, the PHA is part of the eight political forces validated by the Constitutional Court (TC) to run in this year’s general elections.

Her candidacy presents a list of 330 candidates for MPs, amongst effectives and substitutes, of which one for vice-president, in the person of Fernando Hombo Dinis.

The other candidacies approved by the TC are those of the MPLA, UNITA, PRS, FNLA, CASA-CE, APN and also newcomer P-NJANGO.

The first four participated in all general elections held in the country since 1992, while CASA-CE was participated in the 2012 and 2017 editions.

The Social Renewal Party (PRS) will compete with Benedito Daniel, assisted by Rui Malonga Miguel, while the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA) with Nimbi a Simbi and Benjamim da Silva.

The Broad Coalition for the Salvation of Angola – Electoral Coalition (CASA-CE) comes forward  with Manuel Fernandes and Alexandre Sebastião André, and the National Patriotic Alliance (APN) with Quintino Moreira and Noé Francisco Mateus.

In turn, the Nationalist Party for Justice in Angola (P-NJANGO) competes with Eduardo Samuel Jonatão “Dinho” Chingunji and António Barros.

The MPLA, the party of the President João Lourenço, chose Esperança Marta Eduardo Francisco da Costa for the vice-presidency.

UNITA hand picked Abel Chivukuvuku, who in 2012 abandoned it (UNITA) to found CASA-CE. But due to the internal conflict, Chivukuvuku was removed from the party (CASA-CE ) leadership in 2019.

Diaspora voting

For the first time, the elections in Angola will count on the participation of citizens residing abroad, 30 years after the first election in the country’s history.

This turnaround  comes thanks to a constitutional revision conducted in 2021, which did away with the reasons previously invoked to prevent voting abroad.

There are 14.3 million voters registered, of whom 22,560 are residing abroad, spread across 12 countries and several cities in Africa, Europe and America.

Angolans residing in South Africa (Pretoria, Cape Town and Johannesburg), Namibia (Windhoek, Oshakati and Rundu) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Matadi) are expected to vote.

Also on the African continent, Angolans residing in Congo (Brazzaville, Dolisie and Point Noire) and Zambia (Lusaka, Mongu and Solwezi) will be able to vote.

Outside the African continent, voting will be available in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Brasília and São Paulo), Germany (Berlin) and Belgium (Brussels).

Residents of France (Paris), the United Kingdom (London), Portugal (Lisbon and Porto) and the Netherlands (The Hague and Rotterdam) are also invited to take part in the process.

 

 

Source: Angola Press News Agency

 

Luanda – The diplomatic corps accredited to Angola recommended the national political actors and voters the need to participate in the general elections of 24 August in a climate of peace and harmony, with a view, above all, to ensure the stability of the country.

On the subject of polls, the ambassador of the United States to Angola, Tulinabo Mushingi, said that Angolans should go to the polls in harmony and preserve the peace won 20 years ago.

He said to believe that Angolans are ready for this great moment and should elect their rulers in a climate of peace and harmony.

Speaking to ANGOP, the US diplomat urged the winners and losers to work together in order to guarantee the country’s development.

He said they are all children of Angola and must continue to work together.

Tulinabo Mushingi also reiterated the commitment of the United States to continue to support Angola in the economic, political and social sectors.

The Spanish ambassador to Angola, Manuel Larrera Lobo, noted that society, the government and the opposition must combine efforts for the success of the elections.

The diplomat, who considers the relations between the two states to be excellent, expects  the successful holding of the elections “for the good of the country and regional stabilization”.

He said  one must take into account that Angola is, today, a factor of stability in Africa, not only because the country is at peace, but also because of its projection across borders.

The Chinese ambassador to Angola, Gong Tao, also wants the general elections to take place in an environment of peace, democracy and freedom, stating that the winner must continue to defend the country’s development.

The diplomat announced that the Asian giant is willing to continue to develop relations with Angola (a strategic country), which date back to 1983.

As for the Russian side, Ambassador Vladimir Tararov expressed his country’s availability to work with the winner of the August 24 elections, adding that his country will remain willing to continue and develop bilateral relations.

The Russian diplomat also foresees a successful electoral process, for the prosperity of the country and the Angolans themselves.

The head of the Cuban Diplomatic Mission in Angola, Gizela Beatriz Garcia Riviera, urged Angolans to join the polls to freely elect their rulers and, at the same time, respect the Constitution and laws.

The diplomat, who highlighted the strong historical relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, wants the elections to become a real celebration.

For the dean of ambassadors and head of the Polish Diplomatic Mission in Angola, Piotr Josef Mysliwlec, Angolans must continue to preserve peace and national reconciliation, which he considers factors in the country’s stability.

This year’s elections, which will have the participation of Angolans abroad for the first time, are the fifth in Angola’s history, after those in 1992, 2008, 2012 and 2017.

Of the total of more than 14 million voters expected at the polls, 22,560 are from abroad, spread across 25 cities in 12 countries in Africa, Europe and America.

Random Drawing for General Election Ballot places the candidates as following: PHA, P-NJANGO, UNITA, FNLA, CASA-CE, APN, PRS and MPLA.

 

 

 

Source: Angola Press News Agency

 

Brazzaville – The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes the launch by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, of the landmark opportunity for countries to apply for funding to introduce, or further roll-out, the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine. This international support of nearly US$ 160 million from 2022-2025 will facilitate increased vaccine access to children at high risk of illness and death from malaria, starting with Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, the three African countries that began pilot introduction of the vaccine in 2019, and then expanding to other eligible endemic countries.

Malaria remains a primary cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2020, nearly half a million African children died from malaria – or 1 child died of malaria every minute.

Since the world’s first malaria vaccine was introduced in 2019, it has been well accepted in African communities after a relatively short period of time. Demand is high even in the context of COVID-19: vaccination performance for the first dose is reaching between 73% to over 90% coverage, depending on the country, with no major disruptions during the pandemic. To date, about 1.3 million children have benefitted from the vaccine in the three African pilot countries.

“Gavi’s new funding opportunity brings us one step closer to reaching millions more children across Africa with the lifesaving RTS,S malaria vaccine,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Throughout the pandemic, when routine health services faced myriad challenges, parents and caregivers diligently brought their children to clinics and health posts to get the malaria vaccine. They know all too well that lives are being lost to malaria every day and are eager to protect their children from this deadly disease.”

Following WHO’s recommendation in October 2021 for widespread use of the RTS,S malaria vaccine among children in regions with moderate to high Plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission, a number of malaria-endemic countries have expressed interest in adopting the vaccine and are expected to apply for Gavi support to introduce the vaccine. The RTS,S vaccine works specifically against Plasmodium falciparum, which is the deadliest malaria parasite and the most prevalent on the African continent. Where the vaccine has been introduced, there has been a substantial drop in children being hospitalized with severe malaria and a drop in child deaths in the age group that is eligible for the vaccine.

Gavi has indicated that the first application deadline in September 2022 is reserved for countries currently piloting the vaccine and for which continuity of the vaccine programme is a priority. A second window open to other eligible malaria-endemic countries will close in January 2023. Countries can already submit expressions of interest during the first funding window for inclusion in this round.

“Malaria has devastated communities for far too long in Africa. We know that initially, supply will not meet demand, nevertheless, we look forward to working with countries and our partners to introduce and scale this new tool in our fight against malaria, which could save the lives of thousands of children across the continent,” said Thabani Maphosa, Managing Director of Country Programmes at Gavi. “Gavi is proud to support this vaccine, and we hope this is just the beginning of a broader rollout that will see populations across the continent increasingly protected against this deadly disease.”

Like with many new vaccines, the supply of the malaria vaccine is limited as vaccine production ramps up.

“The long-awaited malaria vaccine for children is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control. It is projected that – at scale – using this vaccine could save tens of thousands of young lives each year, but we will need an increased supply of the vaccine so Africa can reap the benefits of this additional tool for malaria prevention,” said Professor Rose Leke, a malaria disease expert from the University of Yaounde in Cameroon, and co-chair of the expert group that advised WHO on a framework to allocate the currently limited malaria vaccine supply.

Over the next few years, the supply of the RTS,S malaria vaccine will be insufficient to meet the needs of over 25 million children born each year in areas where the vaccine is recommended, according to a WHO-commissioned global market study. Should a second malaria vaccine complete clinical development successfully and be approved for use, the period of constrained supply could be shorter. The demand is estimated to range from 80 to 100 million doses annually.

In response to the supply situation, WHO has developed, with expert advice, a framework to guide vaccine allocation decisions at global and country levels that ensures children at highest risk across endemic countries are prioritized to receive the vaccine. The framework also aims to ensure that childhood vaccination services started in the three pilot countries continue without disruption, until supply fully meets demand.

“Now is the time for African countries and communities to call out their interest – to donors, health leaders and manufacturers – in early access to this vaccine. Lives are at stake, every day,” added Dr Moeti. “This situation underlines once again why expanded local production of vaccines is essential for meeting health needs in Africa. We’ve seen encouraging first steps in that direction in recent months, and we are committed to supporting further efforts to expand vaccine production in Africa.”

WHO, Gavi and partners are working to accelerate RTS,S supply by exploring approaches to increase manufacturing capacity, market-shaping and facilitating the development of other first-generation and next-generation malaria vaccines.

Dr Moeti spoke during a virtual press conference today. She was joined by Mr Maphosa and Professor Leke.

Also on hand from WHO Regional Office for Africa to respond to questions were: Dr Akpaka Kalu, Team Lead, Strategic planning and Policy, Communicable and Noncommunicable diseases Cluster, Dr Opeayo Ogundiran, Epidemiology Pillar Lead for the Regional COVID-19 Response; Dr Phionah Atuhebwe, Medical Officer, New Vaccines and Dr Solomon Woldetsadik, Emergency Response Officer.

 

 

Source: World Health Organization. Africa