On Tuesday, May 16, 2023, our May ICAP Grand Rounds webinar presented on: The First Malaria Vaccine: Current Progress and Next Steps.

The first malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S), is saving lives. In Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi, where nearly 1.5 million children have been reached with the first dose of vaccine through pilot introductions, there is substantial reduction in severe malaria, a decrease in child hospitalizations, and a drop in child deaths. In October 2021, WHO recommended the RTS,S malaria vaccine for use to prevent malaria among children living in areas with moderate to high malaria transmission. This seminar reviewed RTS,S evidence, including vaccine implementation performance and lessons learned from the pilots; the progress of the malaria vaccine pilot programme, which will be completed in 2023; and, next steps for broader roll-out of the malaria vaccine. Presenters also discussed the evolving malaria vaccine landscape and a second malaria vaccine, R21-Matrix-M.

Presenters

Ms. Eliane Furrer is a Technical Officer (Malaria Vaccines) at the World Health Organization’s Immunization, Vaccines & Biologicals department, where she supports the implementation and evaluation of the world’s first malaria vaccine in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi through the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP). In this role, she also supports the cross-partner coordination, planning, and preparations for malaria vaccine roll-out across other endemic countries and the evidence review of malaria vaccines in the pipeline. Furrer is a global health professional with over 15 years of experience in public health and a passion for immunization, vaccines, and efforts to ensure equitable access to life-saving interventions.

Mgaywa Magafu is a medical doctor, public health specialist, and epidemiologist with over 20 years of experience covering clinical practice, academics, research, infectious disease, and health systems management. He currently serves as a Technical Officer on the Malaria Vaccines Programme at the World Health Organization (WHO) at the AFRO Regional Office in Brazzaville Congo. Before joining WHO in January 2020, he was the Head of the Disease Intelligence and Surveillance Division at Africa CDC at the African Union in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, where he was responsible for leading and coordinating the institution’s public health infectious disease surveillance programs. He has extensive experience in the provision of technical assistance to ministries of health as well as strengthening health institutions in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.