Photo by Staff Sgt. V. Michelle Woods
The World Health Organization (WHO) got the go-ahead to do the first human-trial next year on the eve of World Malaria Day of the Malaria vaccine.
CNN reports, “The World Health Organization announced Monday that it has the go-ahead to try the first malaria vaccine in the field in real-world settings next year. The organization made the announcement on the eve of World Malaria Day.”
In just 2015, 429,000 people (mostly children) died of Malaria. That’s why deploying this vaccine is so important.
Per Quartz, “The World Health Organization announced Monday that it has the go-ahead to try the first malaria vaccine in the field in real-world settings next year. The organization made the announcement on the eve of World Malaria Day.”
The first Malaria vaccines will be tested in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi in 2018.
Business Insider explains, “Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi will pilot the world’s first malaria vaccine from 2018, offering it for babies and children in high-risk areas as part of real-life trials, the World Health Organization said on Monday.”
In recent years, there was a 62% reduction in malaria death. This is due to the increase in prevention measure and education about the disease.
CNN states, “There has been enormous progress in fighting the disease. From 2000 to 2015, there was a 62% reduction in malaria deaths, according to the WHO, and a 41% reduction in the number of cases. There have been fewer deaths in large part because of better mosquito control and disease awareness, as well as sustained effort to get the right medicine to the right populations, experts said.”
The vaccine isn’t perfect as shown by clinical trials. Only one-third of the malaria cases in infants were prevented while in toddlers, it was only 40%.
Quartz explains, “The vaccine doesn’t provide perfect protection: In the most recent clinical trial that ended in 2015, it was only stopped about 30% of malaria cases in infants, and 40% in toddlers. But that might be best we can do, given the unique challenges of fighting the pathogens that cause malaria.”
Gospel for Asia (GFA) is seeking to provide mosquito nets to areas they work in, where there are mosquito-borne diseases. One family didn’t know Christ’s hope. They had many questions about Jesus, which the local Gospel for Asia-supported pastor gladly answered. They had no way of protecting themselves from mosquitoes, so he gave them a mosquito net.
Per Gospel for Asia (GFA), “Pastor Akshay loved this family, and he wanted to help them practically too. He knew how difficult it was for them to sleep at night because of the annoying mosquitoes. Soon Pastor Akshay arranged a mosquito net distribution at his church. As Pastor Akshay handed Lavenia and her family mosquito nets of their own, they were deeply touched. It meant they could rest well and be stronger for work. It spared them from disease and potential medical costs and gave them a sense of dignity.”
Please pray for the eradication of Malaria. Please pray this vaccine would save many lives. Pray that people would see Christ’s hope through mosquito nets.
CNN: First malaria vaccine to be widely tested in Africa next year
Business Insider: The world’s first malaria vaccine is coming to Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi
Gospel for Asia: Discovering the God Who Cares About Bug Bites
