Malaria Vaccine
The World Health Organization (WHO), announced on the eve of World Malaria day, that it was allowed to test the first malaria vaccine next year. The illness has affected most people, whereby in the year 2015, it was estimated that about 429,000 people lost their lives due to the illness. WHO has since the year 2000 to 2015, been working very hard in order to come up with malaria vaccine. These efforts have borne fruits, and the world has seen a 62% reduction in malaria-related cases and 41% in the number of malaria-related deaths (Jen, n.p). In addition, the organization also provided prevention coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa, whereby 42% of the people in those areas, are at a very high risk of being infected with the disease, if they do not sleep under treated mosquito nets. The new vaccine will therefore be tested in the year 2018, in Africa, since Africa has the highest cases of malaria.
WHO has really done a very good job, since coming up with such a drug will really help in reducing the number of deaths related to malaria. In addition, since Africa is the continent which is affected the most, testing the drug in such an area will enable the organization to come up with very clear results on the effectiveness of the drug (Jen, n.p). This move will therefore help African countries to be able to develop, since malaria has been one of the main problems which African countries have been facing.
WHO should not only test the effectiveness of the drug, but it should also provide the drugs to the African countries, in order to allow them to deal with the issue. In addition, the organization should also make sure that the drugs are able to reach patients’ in hospitals, since most countries in Africa are ruled by corrupt leaders (Jen, n.p). The organization should therefore make sure that the drugs are given to the people free of charge, and thus preventing such leaders from using the vaccines for their own gains.
Work Cited
Jen Christensen. First Malaria Vaccine to be Widely Tested in Africa Next Year. 2017. Cnn. Retrieved from: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/24/health/malaria-vaccine-trial-who/index.html
