Yaounde: Africa's fight against malaria is making encouraging progress as more children receive lifesaving vaccines, but health experts say one major challenge continues to threaten the success of the programme. Many children are not completing the full vaccination schedule, leaving them with less protection against one of the continent's deadliest diseases.
Cameroon, the first country to introduce the RTS,S malaria vaccine into its routine childhood immunisation programme, has reported positive results since the rollout began. Health workers say hospitals are seeing fewer cases of severe malaria among young children, offering hope that the vaccine is beginning to reduce the heavy burden of the disease.
Doctors in the country say they are treating fewer children with life threatening complications caused by malaria than before the vaccine became available. While experts welcome these improvements, they also point out that vaccines are only one part of the fight against malaria. Insecticide treated mosquito nets, early diagnosis, prompt treatment and public health campaigns continue to play an important role in reducing infections and deaths.
Despite the early success, officials are concerned that many children do not receive the fourth and final dose of the RTS,S vaccine. The vaccine is given in four stages, with the first three doses administered during infancy and the final booster dose given many months later, when the child is around two years old. The long gap between the third and fourth doses has made it difficult for many families to complete the vaccination schedule.
Health workers say parents are generally willing to vaccinate their children, but practical challenges often prevent them from returning to health centres for the final dose. Long travel distances, transport costs, work commitments and simply forgetting the appointment are among the main reasons for the low completion rate.
Medical experts stress that all four doses are needed to provide the strongest and longest lasting protection. Missing the final booster reduces the vaccine's overall effectiveness and leaves children more vulnerable to severe illness.
The concern is not limited to Cameroon. Similar trends have been observed in pilot vaccination programmes in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, where many children received the first dose but fewer completed the full series. Public health officials are now working to improve follow up systems through reminder messages, community outreach and catch up vaccination campaigns.
The malaria vaccination programme has continued to expand across Africa. According to the World Health Organization, 25 African countries have now introduced malaria vaccines into their routine immunisation programmes. Millions of children are expected to receive the vaccines each year as countries strengthen their national health services.
The World Health Organization recently said new evidence confirms that malaria vaccines are saving children's lives and will have an even greater impact as more countries expand their vaccination programmes. Health officials believe widespread immunisation could significantly reduce child deaths caused by malaria in regions where the disease remains widespread.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has also reported major progress in vaccine distribution across the continent. More than 39 million malaria vaccine doses have been delivered to African countries so far. However, the organisation has warned that reductions in international aid and funding pressures could affect future vaccine supplies and expansion efforts if additional financial support is not secured.
Researchers are also working on next generation malaria vaccines that may require fewer doses while offering stronger protection. Such vaccines could make immunisation programmes easier to manage, particularly in remote rural communities where access to health facilities is limited.
Malaria remains one of Africa's biggest public health challenges, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives every year, with young children under the age of five accounting for most of the deaths. Health experts believe vaccination, combined with mosquito control measures, rapid testing and effective treatment, offers the best chance of reducing the disease's devastating impact.
As more African nations embrace malaria vaccination, health authorities say the next priority is ensuring that every child completes the full course. They believe that improving awareness, strengthening healthcare systems and making vaccines easier to access will be essential to protecting millions of children and moving closer to the goal of eliminating malaria as a major killer across the continent.