Malaria vaccine RTS,S can have significant health impact, says study

A team of scientists have presented their research that points towards the significant impact of malaria vaccine RTS,S on public health. Examining a time period of 15 years, it was observed that for every 100,000 children vaccinated through a four-dose immunisation schedule, 484 deaths and around 116,500 cases of clinical malaria disease would be averted. This can be calculated as nearly 1.2 malaria cases averted per child vaccinated as well as one malaria-related death averted per 200 vaccinated children.

The numbers are recorded for children living in Africa in areas with moderate to high transmission of malaria. Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite, shows 10 to 65 percent prevalence in these regions.

Dr. Melissa Penny from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and an author on the study, said, “We took a realistic look at expected coverage of the RTS,S vaccine in a variety of African settings and found it would have significant impact on malaria disease in all but the lowest malaria transmission regions," reports EurekAlert. “Our numbers indicate that 6 to 29 percent of malaria deaths in children younger than age five could potentially be averted by the vaccine in the areas in which it is implemented, when used alongside other malaria control interventions.”

Such impact estimates are necessary for public health officials to determine the implantation of malaria vaccine. Differences in access to healthcare and malaria transmission between real-life settings and trials are accounted for by these models.

Azra Ghani of the Imperial College London and a collaborator on the study, said, “The cost-effectiveness of RTS,S is similar to what we've seen for other recently introduced childhood vaccines,” reports EurekAlert. “It also overlaps within the ranges of cost-effectiveness of other malaria control interventions like bed nets and indoor residual sprays. However, it is important that the vaccine is introduced in addition to these other highly cost-effective interventions.”

In spite of positive changes, malaria remains one of the leading causes of death among children in sub-Saharan Africa. According to a WHO report released on Sept 17, a group of countries mostly from this region accounted for 80 percent of malaria cases and 78 percent malaria deaths, globally, in 2015.

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