WMD: Nigeria expecting outcome of first antimalarial vaccine – Minister

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has said the federal government is expecting favourable outcome from the ongoing pilot introduction of the world’s first antimalarial vaccine for partial protection of children against malaria.

The Minister, who said this on Thursday at a press conference in Abuja to mark the 2019 World Malaria Day, disclosed that a good outcome will catalyze government’s efforts at the elimination of the scourge.

He, however, noted that Nigeria still accounts for 25 per cent of the global malaria burden.

“We also account for 19% of deaths from malaria. Though funding for malaria control has remained relatively stable since 2010, we need to improve on the level of our investment  to achieve a reduction of at least 40% in malaria case incidence and mortality rates globally by 2020,” he added.

The Minister reiterated government’s resolve in eliminating the disease,…