Ghana has become the first country globally to approve a new malaria vaccine from Oxford University. However, it is still being determined when the vaccine may be rolled out in West Africa as the World Health Organization (WHO) is still assessing its safety and effectiveness.
The mosquito-borne disease kills over 600,000 people yearly, primarily children in Africa. Oxford has a deal with the Serum Institute of India to produce up to 200mn doses of the vaccine - known as R21 - annually.
The Oxford vaccine is the second approved shot for use in recent years.
Malaria is a severe disease caused by a parasite that infects mosquitoes which then transmit the parasite to humans through their bites. Its symptoms include fever, headache, chills, and flu-like sickness. Malaria is most common in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, but it also occurs in parts of Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
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