Technical assistance for the development of a Gavi funding application for the malaria vaccine
Malaria is a public health problem in Guinea-Bissau, with the disease being endemic throughout the country throughout the year. An increase in cases is observed during the rainy season, from July to December. In 2022, 185,161 cases of malaria were confirmed. Among children under five years of age, the proportion of malaria-related deaths is nearly 22%, and this age group accounts for more than ¾ of malaria-related deaths.
The introduction plan developed foresees the deployment of the RTS,S vaccine (Mosquirix) in 8 health regions in which P. falciparum transmission is high to moderate and where malaria incidence and prevalence data are the highest. Given the characteristics of the malaria epidemiology in the country, and following WHO recommendations, a hybrid strategy is adopted, combining routine vaccination according to the child’s age and seasonal vaccination. Thus, the first three doses will be administered from the age of five months and up to 59 months in the first year, with an interval of 30 days. The fourth and fifth booster doses will be administered one month before the start of the high malaria transmission season, with a minimum interval of six months between the third and fourth doses.
In technical support of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) of the Ministry of Health of Guinea-Bissau, and with the national and international partners involved, EpiLinks led the development of the malaria vaccine introduction plan, and of high-quality Gavi funding application for malaria vaccine, aligned with Gavi funding guidelines. This activity notably included conducting stakeholder meetings, writing applications and responding to comments from the Gavi Independent Review Committee (IRC).
Used in conjunction with existing prevention measures, the malaria vaccine will help accelerate progress in the fight against malaria in Guinea-Bissau.
