More than 10,000 children in the Awutu Senya District of the Central Region have been vaccinated against malaria under the Malaria Vaccination Implementation Programme (MVIP).
The programme, which began in May 2019, has so far immunised 10,147 children, with 29,233 doses of the four-dose RTS,S malaria vaccine (Mosquirix) administered in the district.
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The vaccine is being given to children between six months and two years old in selected districts across Ghana to protect them against Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria parasite responsible for severe malaria cases in Africa.
According to the Disease Control Officer at the Awutu Senya District Health Directorate, Mrs Shirline Benneh, the vaccination programme has contributed to a reduction in malaria cases among children under five years.
She said malaria cases among children under five reduced from 9,067 cases recorded between January 2018 and April 2019 before the vaccine was introduced, to 6,303 cases between May 2019 and April 2020. The cases later declined further to 3,511 cases, representing a significant reduction after the introduction of the programme.
Mrs Benneh noted that the vaccine had made an impact in controlling malaria among children but explained that it does not completely prevent malaria infection. Instead, it reduces the number of malaria episodes and the severity of the disease.
She also revealed that the programme initially faced challenges due to misinformation and misconceptions about the vaccine. Health officials therefore embarked on community education and stakeholder engagements to encourage caregivers to allow their children to receive the vaccine.
She encouraged parents and caregivers to continue combining malaria vaccination with other preventive measures such as sleeping under treated mosquito nets, using repellents and maintaining proper environmental hygiene.
