Delays in malaria vaccine cost lives

Keypoints:

• 1Day Africa urges urgent vaccine action
• WHO: Africa sees 95% of malaria deaths
• Regulatory hurdles blocking R21 rollout

AS the world marks World Malaria Day on April 25, the advocacy organisation 1Day Africa is warning that slow vaccine rollout across the continent is costing lives — particularly those of children — due to regulatory and operational delays.

Malaria remains one of Africa’s deadliest diseases, and despite the promise of the R21 malaria vaccine, many communities are still waiting for access, the group said.

‘Malaria vaccines have the potential to save countless lives, but their impact is severely limited by the slow pace of deployment, aided by outdated operational and regulatory processes,’ said Zacharia Kafuko, Director of 1Day Soone

r Africa.

According to the 2024 World Malaria Report from the World Health Organisation, Africa accounts for 94 percent of global malaria cases and 95 percent of deaths — most of them among young children.

Bureaucratic hurdles stall vaccine access

The R21/Matrix-M vaccine, developed with Oxford University and produced by the Serum Institute of India, has shown promising results and received WHO approval in 2023. But its deployment across Africa is being hampered by slow and inconsistent approval processes between countries.

Kafuko said a lack of funding, weak coordination, and diminishing political will are preventing vaccines from reaching those who need them most. ‘We need urgent action to streamline and harmonise these processes,’ he said.

Advocacy group’s four-point plan

1Day Africa is calling on African governments and international partners to act swiftly. Its recommendations include:

• Streamlined regulatory processes: Expedite and harmonise review procedures using global best practices.
• Boosted funding and global collaboration: Donor countries and institutions must invest more in research and distribution.
• Local leadership and innovation: African governments and philanthropies should explore new financing models.
• Community trust-building: Public education and engagement are vital to ensure uptake and combat misinformation.

‘We have the tools, not the time’

‘Malaria is preventable and treatable,’ said Kafuko. ‘We have the tools to eliminate it, but regulatory and financial delays are putting millions at risk — especially children.’

With 3.3 billion peopl

e in 106 countries still at risk, 1Day Africa is

using World Malaria Day to amplify calls for a coordinated global response, insisting that Africa cannot afford more lost time.

‘The world must act. Every delay costs lives,’ Kafuko said.