Current Context: Ghana has created history by becoming the first country to approve a high-efficiency malaria vaccine developed by scientists at the University of Oxford.
- The R21/Matrix-M vaccine against malaria has demonstrated a significant breakthrough in the fight against the disease by exceeding the World Health Organization's target of 75% efficacy.
- Under a new agreement, the Serum Institute of India will produce up to 200 million doses of the vaccine developed by Oxford.
- Malaria remains a major public health concern, with about 619,000 deaths reported in 2021, mostly affecting children in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Ghana alone records about 5.3 million cases of malaria annually, leading to 12,500 deaths in 2021.
- Although the R21 vaccine has shown a promising efficacy rate of 77% in earlier trials, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet recommended it for routine use pending the ongoing phase 3 testing.
- First Malaria Vaccine
- The WHO approved Mosquirix (RTS, S/AS01), the first-ever malaria vaccine, in 2021. It was developed by GlaxoSmithKline, a British pharmaceutical company, after several decades of research. The vaccine's active ingredient is derived from a protein found on the surface of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite (PFP) that causes malaria. It also offers protection against hepatitis B virus-induced liver infections.
Question:
Q.1 Which is first country to approve Oxford's malaria vaccine for children?a. Ghana
b. Sri Lanka
c. Bangladesh
d. Tibet
