Why vaccination is important and the safest way to protect yourself
World's Second Malaria Vaccine Launched In Ivory Coast, Latest Milestone In Fight Against The Disease
The world's second vaccine against malaria was launched on Monday as the Ivory Coast began a routine vaccine program using shots developed by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India.
The introduction of the World Health Organization (WHO)-approved R21 vaccine comes six months after the first malaria vaccine, called RTS,S and developed by British drugmaker GSK, began being administered in a routine program in Cameroon.
Some 15 African countries plan to introduce one of the two malaria vaccines this year with support from the Gavi global vaccine alliance.
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Ivory Coast has received a total of 656,600 doses of the Oxford and Serum shot, which will initially vaccinate 250,000 children aged between 0 and 23 months across the West African country. The vaccine has also been approved by Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic.
The rollout of a second vaccine is the latest milestone in the global fight against malaria and should help address a problem that emerged well before either of the two shots was launched: demand for them is likely to far outstrip supply for several years.
Ivory Coast's Prime Minister Robert Beugre Mambe, center, attends the official ceremony for the launch of the malaria vaccination campaign for children aged between zero and eleven months in Abobo, a district of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on July 15, 2024. (Reuters/Luc Gnago)
Experts say having safe and effective malaria vaccines is important to meet demand. The shot is meant to work alongside existing tools - such as bed nets - to combat malaria, which in Africa kills nearly half a million children under the age of five each year.
The Serum Institute of India, which manufactures the vaccine, has produced 25 million doses for the initial rollout of the shot and "is committed to scaling up to 100 million doses annually", the company said on Monday about the launch in the Ivory Coast.
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Serum said it is offering the vaccine for less than $4 per dose, in keeping with its aim to deliver low-cost vaccines at scale.
Results from a large trial in February showed the vaccine prevented around three-quarters of symptomatic malaria cases in young children the first year after they got the shots.
Experts told Reuters at that time that comparing the two malaria vaccines head-to-head was difficult because of the many variables involved in the trials, but overall their performance was similar - a conclusion endorsed by WHO.
Dengue Fever Outbreak: How It Differs From Malaria In Diagnosis, Care
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has officially declared an outbreak of dengue fever in the Eastern Region, confirming a total of nine cases thus far.
This announcement was made in a statement signed by Dr. Patrick Kumah-Aboagye, the Director-General of the GHS, following the detection of unusual malaria-like illnesses in select districts within the region.
Initially presenting as an acute febrile illness and not responding to standard antimalarial treatments, samples from affected patients were sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) for testing.
Subsequent laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of dengue fever in these cases, which are currently being managed at home as non-severe instances.
In response to this concerning development, a collaborative team of entomologists and epidemiologists from the national level have joined regional efforts to conduct a thorough outbreak investigation.
Public health experts are diligently working to assess the scope and scale of the current dengue fever situation in the Eastern Region.
But how does dengue fever differ from malaria?
Health experts stress that understanding the symptoms of dengue fever and malaria is crucial for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
According to the WHO, while both diseases share several common symptoms, they also exhibit distinct characteristics that set them apart.
Common Symptoms
Both dengue fever and malaria often present high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea, and vomiting symptoms.
These overlapping symptoms can lead to initial confusion, particularly in regions where both diseases are prevalent.
Unique Symptoms
However, dengue fever tends to include additional symptoms not typically seen in malaria.
Patients with dengue may experience a skin rash, which often appears after the onset of fever.
They might also exhibit mild bleeding, such as nosebleeds or gum bleeding, particularly in cases that progress to Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever.
Severe abdominal pain is another critical symptom associated with dengue.
In contrast, malaria symptoms can manifest in cyclical patterns, with patients experiencing cycles of chills followed by sweating.
Severe cases of malaria may lead to complications such as anaemia, jaundice, cerebral malaria, kidney failure, and respiratory distress.
Speaking to asaaseradio.Com, Dr. Franklyn Asiedu Bekoe emphasised the importance of distinguishing between dengue fever and malaria, as they share overlapping symptoms but require different approaches for diagnosis and treatment.
"We have received reports of suspected cases recently and are currently running tests on samples in the lab. Some individuals can have the infection but show no symptoms. Others may exhibit typical malaria symptoms such as fever, vomiting, or headache. The key difference is that when you run a malaria test, it will be negative despite the symptoms," he added.
Both dengue fever and malaria are mosquito-borne diseases.
Dengue fever is transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, while malaria is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes.
Both conditions can lead to severe complications if not treated properly and may require significant public health interventions to control outbreaks.
Dr. Asiedu Bekoe noted that it is not unusual to have dengue cases in the country, stating, "We've had cases in the past, and our systems are equipped to detect such occurrences. We are awaiting the outcome of the tests to better understand the situation."
According to the WHO, dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection common in warm, tropical climates.
It is caused by one of four closely related dengue viruses (serotypes) and can lead to a wide spectrum of symptoms, ranging from mild (often unnoticeable) to severe cases that require medical intervention and hospitalisation. In severe instances, fatalities can occur.
While there is no specific treatment for the infection itself, the symptoms can be effectively managed.
As the disease progresses, patients may also suffer from respiratory distress, bleeding from the nose and gums, and experience a rapid drop in blood pressure leading to shock.
If left unmanaged, this can lead to death.
Effective case management of dengue in hospitals has helped reduce case fatality rates to less than 1% in most affected countries.
Dengue is increasing at a higher rate than any other communicable disease, with a 400% rise over 13 years (2000–2013), the WHO has said.
Annual dengue incidence is estimated to be around 100 million symptomatic cases a year, with another approximately 300 million asymptomatic infections.
The greatest burden is seen in Asia (75%), followed by Latin America and Africa.
JKB/AE
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Dengue, Malaria Cases Surface In Odisha
Odisha grapples with 488 dengue cases this season, with Khurda district recording the highest number. Government and health authorities are taking steps to control the situation. Awareness campaigns and preventive measures are being implemented to curb the spread of the disease.
BHUBANESWAR: Dengue is slowly spreading its wings across the state. As many as 488 dengue cases have been reported from the state this season and govt authorities said necessary steps are being taken to control the situation.Khurda district has reported the highest number of dengue cases, totalling 130. At least 33 cases have been detected in the last 24 hours. Bhubaneswar, which is part of Khurda district, has reported 78 cases.Last year, the capital city had reported around 4,000 dengue cases. In view of this, the health department has given special focus to the city areas.Nilakantha Mishra, the director of public health, said the govt has taken necessary steps to prevent dengue outbreak in the state."An awareness drive is under way in affected areas. All required instructions have been issued to chief district medical and public health officers to remain alert and take measures to prevent the dengue disease," Mishra said.Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja reviewed the dengue situation in the state. Health and family welfare department secretary Shalini Pandit has made a detailed presentation regarding the action taken by the department and the roles and responsibilities of other departments to control dengue and vector-borne diseases. Ahuja instructed all line departments to spread awareness through information, education and communication activities, mainly in schools, communities and Anganwadi centres, and to play their role in true spirit to control the spread of dengue and other water and vector-borne diseases.Normally, the majority of dengue cases are reported between August and October. Sometimes it stretches until November, keeping the rain and humidity in mind. This time, the disease has struck early."Dengue is reported during the monsoon season because the clean water left undisturbed on abandoned tyres, tin cans, damaged pots and other containers becomes a breeding ground for the Aedes mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus. As rain arrives with humidity towards the end of June, dengue also appears," said public health expert KK Rout.In the capital city, the health department has launched an awareness campaign.Door-to-door awareness activities, including the distribution of pamphlets and the dry day concept, have been started in the city to eradicate breeding sources of the Aedes mosquito.Under-construction buildings will also be checked to destroy mosquito breeding sources, said a health officer.We also published the following articles recently
Kalamassery hotspot of dengue cases in districtDiscover the latest update on the dengue outbreak in Ernakulam district, Kerala. Kalamassery municipality sees a spike in cases due to poor waste management. Learn about the upcoming cleaning drive to address the situation. Health dept conducts inspection at Rumdamol after dengue deathLearn about the suspected dengue death of a five-year-old boy in Rumdamol, Davorlim that led to a health services team inspection. Deputy director Dr. Kalpana Mahatme emphasized the importance of addressing mosquito breeding grounds like garbage to prevent dengue outbreaks.
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