Childhood vaccines: What research shows about their safety and potential side effects
Inside The Labs On The Frontline In The Battle Against One Of The World's Deadliest Diseases – As It Reaches Europe
A SWARM of blood-sucking mosquitoes encircle me, buzzing around my face.
I'm perched on a bed in a tin-roofed shed and the only barrier to the outside world is a mozzie net filled with holes.
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Sun Health's Isabel Shaw behind a mosquito net at the Ifakara InstituteCredit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas
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Dr Brian Tarimo carrying out research at the Ifakara Health Institute in TanzaniaCredit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas
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Studies can aid the ever-growing threat posed by mosquitoes across the globeCredit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi MatasI'm at the Ifakara Health Institute, in rural Tanzania, Africa, nestled among towering palms.
Here, African and British scientists work in converted shipping containers on the front line in the battle against deadly malaria.
Deaths from the infection have been rising. There were 620,000 victims in 2022, up from 560,000 a decade ago — most of them African children under five, according to the World Health Organisation.
After years of progress, with global deaths down from 1.8million in 2004, warmer temperatures, war and Covid-19 pandemic restrictions have fuelled a resurgence of the disease.
The WHO says 249 million cases were reported globally in 2022, up from 233 million in 2019.
Europe was declared malaria-free by the WHO in 2015, but now its threat is edging closer again.
'Smile hides heartbreak'Malaria-carrying mosquitoes have reached southern Europe, and medical cases of affected holidaymakers coming into Britain are at their highest level in more than 20 years, with 2,106 cases in 2023.
Symptoms are flu-like, but severe cases can be fatal.
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Dr Dickson Wilson LwetoijeraDr Dickson Wilson Lwetoijera, principal research scientist at the institute, tells Sun Health their work could have far-reaching consequences for the whole world.
He says: "With global travel and population movement, there's every chance the disease could spread to new regions — if that happens in Europe, the consequences could be serious.
Malaria No More UK's campaign film featuring David Beckham"People who haven't been regularly exposed to malaria, like those in Europe, don't have the same immunity as those in Africa who have lived with the disease for some time, so the risk of severe illness or death is much higher."
In Tanzania, it's as prevalent as the "common cold", a local told me on the plane over, but that doesn't erase the devastation this disease has brought to families.
In a dusty neighbourhood in Dar es Salaam, a few hours from Ifakara, I meet Jamima Charles Abel.
She welcomes me into her home — a tiny space along a narrow, muddy street shared by several families. Her smile hides the heartbreak her family has endured.
Her son Eric Daniel Richard, 24, "loved people", Jamima tells me. He was a hard worker at a local business, supporting his family despite having moved out.
One day last December, he developed flu-like symptoms. Within 24 hours, he was gone.
The 44-year-old mum was away travelling when Eric fell ill. She feels if she had been with him, she might have helped him get treatment sooner.
"Maybe I could have saved his life," she says.
Jamima, 44, is terrified for her other two children. Just last month, her 17-year-old son caught malaria but has since recovered.
The infection is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes.
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Deaths from malaria have been rising. There were 620,000 victims in 2022, up from 560,000 a decade agoCredit: Getty
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Drones are being used to find and dismantle mosquito breeding groundsCredit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas
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An insectary at the institute in Tanzania helps researchers fight against the spread of malariaCredit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi MatasMale mosquitoes don't bite and are therefore harmless. When an infected mosquito bites a person, the parasite enters the bloodstream and infiltrates red blood cells.
Genetically engineered mosquitoesThe Plasmodium parasite is adept at evading the immune system. It means a vaccine, which seems like the simplest option, is far from straightforward.
So scientists are working on other cutting-edge solutions.
A team from Imperial College London, in partnership with a team at Ifakara, has genetically engineered mosquitoes resistant to the malaria parasite.
It works by slowing Plasmodium's development inside the mosquito while shortening the insect's lifespan — so it dies before the parasite becomes infectious
It's hoped these mozzies will be released into the wild within eight years, dominating and repopulating areas within a few months.
"This is the first malaria-fighting technology that doesn't rely on human behaviour," Dr Lwetoijera explains. "With our current tools, like bed nets and insecticides, the biggest challenge is compliance.
"People have to use them consistently for them to work, which isn't always possible." Funding is one of the biggest challenges scientists face.
And a huge blow came earlier this year when Donald Trump made abrupt cuts to foreign aid, and Keir Starmer announced plans to slash the overseas aid budget to its lowest level in a generation.
Dr Sarah Moore, originally from Swansea, Wales, and who has worked at Ifakara for 20 years, says: "Every day, the equivalent of four jumbo jets full of children die of malaria in Africa.
"If aid continues to fall as predicted, it could rise to five. Because it's Africa, no one cares."
Among other developments, drones are being used to find and dismantle mosquito breeding grounds in Dar es Salaam, such as stagnant water pools, leafy foliage and shaded areas.
Taking our foot off the gas could lead to a surge, including in new places not ready to fight back
At dusk, when mosquitoes begin to stir, experts knock on the doors of locals to set up traps.
Mwanabibi Kharifa Mohamed, a grandmother and mother of four, is one local taking part.
As Alex Limwagu, a research scientist, sets mosquito traps in the garden, Mwanabibi tells me her children have caught the disease more times than she can count — the family can't afford nets — but it never quells her panic.
"I rush straight to the hospital because I know in two minutes they could die," she says.
Since the mosquito team arrived this year, Mwanabibi has learned more about protecting her family.
"I used to be ignorant," she says. "But Alex taught me how mosquitoes breed and how to protect my children. If malaria disappeared, life would be peaceful."
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Dr Sarah Moore, originally from Swansea, Wales, has worked at Ifakara for 20 yearsCredit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas
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Jamima Charles Abel opened up about losing a son to malariaCredit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas
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Lison Laroche, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Ifakara Health Institute, working to tackle the growing threat of malariaCredit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi MatasThe WHO wants to reduce global malaria by 90 per cent by 2030.
It believes the ambitious target is "achievable" — but not without the dedicated scientists on the ground and the funds to keep them going.
'Get back on track to beat this killer'Victoria Fowler, head of UK advocacy at the charity Malaria No More UK, says: "Taking our foot off the gas could lead to a surge, including in new places not ready to fight back.
"We need the Government to back the Global Fund to Fight Malaria at the Spending Review this month."
The Global Fund was set up in 2002, to help end Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria and has been credited with saving 50 million lives in the years since.
The UK is usually a top donor, just behind the US.
But in February, Downing Street announced a cut in overseas aid spending from 0.5 per cent to 0.3 per cent of national income to help fund increased defence spending.
In its new Securing Britain's Future report, the charity reveals that UK-backed malaria research could do more than save lives overseas.
It says it could also boost the economy by £2bn, create 4,000 jobs, and unlock £4bn in private investment - all while strengthening the NHS by easing the strain of infectious disease threats.
"Standing behind our scientists is crucial to get back on track to beat this killer, saving hundreds of thousands of children's lives and protecting the British public," Victoria adds.
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UK and Tanzanian scientists have worked together to create malaria-resistant mosquitoes in a genetic breakthroughCredit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi Matas
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The institute's work has never been more important, with the WHO saying 249 million cases were reported globally in 2022, up from 233 million in 2019Credit: © Malaria no More UK/Jordi MatasSri Lankan Innovator Pioneers AI-Driven Malaria Detection
The 2025 Budget, presented to Parliament by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake as Finance Minister, allocates funds for industrial zones targeting chemical production for domestic use and automobile and rubber manufacturing for exports.
The Budget allocated Rs 500 million for five industrial parks, planned in Kankesanthurai (KKS), Mankulam, Iranawila, Galle, and Trincomalee, plus a proposed chemical manufacturing zone in Paranthan. The last named—home to the state-owned Paranthan chemical plant since 1954—is expected to boost mineral resource value addition and supply key industrial inputs, including acids and alkalis.
Another Rs. 1,500 million is set aside for an automotive assembly and rubber products zone to enhance export competitiveness in component manufacturing. The Budget document emphasises that investing in these sectors will strengthen Sri Lanka's position in global export markets.
The Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development stated in March that the necessary lands for these zones had already been identified, and the acquisition process was underway. However, it would take another two–three years to fully establish the new industrial zones. Despite this, they aimed to complete the required infrastructure by the end of the year.
While one should laud this plan, which at least nods a head towards industrialisation, unfortunately, several challenges stand in the way of it achieving success.
Lack of outstation industrial ecosystems
The first is that industries need to be attracted to these areas. Each zone could be expected to hold about 250 factories. At present, industrialists prefer to invest in the Western Province, the only area with a semblance of an industrial ecosystem. The other areas lack facilities, infrastructure, and supply chain elements.
Past data shows industrial estates outside Colombo take 7-11 years to reach 50% occupancy, whereas Western Province-based zones reach 100% occupancy within eight years. President Premadasa forced companies to establish garment factories in the outstations by threatening to cancel their quotas. So, it appears that strong incentives and enforcement mechanisms may be necessary.
Transport and logistics bottlenecks
Transport poses another issue, in that the distance from a harbour remains an important factor. For example, the production of sulphuric acid at Paranthan, advanced by the government. Sulphuric acid is the largest-volume industrial chemical, finding uses as the electrolyte in lead-acid batteries, in petrochemical processes – such as refining petroleum – and several other industrial and other applications. However, it is utilised primarily in the production of phosphate fertilisers like superphosphate and ammonium sulphate.
In order to produce a tonne of single super phosphate (SSP) from the rock phosphate found in the Eppawela deposit, 390 kg of sulphuric acid are required. Transporting this to Eppawela would prove very expensive. Therefore, the Government-owned Lanka Phosphate Ltd. Planned to make SSP in Trincomalee, using imported sulphur. The cost of transporting sulphur from Trincomalee to Paranthan and sulphuric acid from Paranthan to Eppawela would make it uneconomical.
The advantage of Paranthan is its proximity to the Elephant Pass salt-pans, providing it with the brine the factory requires for making Chlor-alkali chemicals – crucial for Sri Lanka's textile, rubber, and food industries, and having significant export demands. The site has no advantage for making sulphuric acid.
Transport difficulties discourage investment in rural industries. Using railways more would ease these challenges. However, the railway network in Colombo Harbour has been dismantled, increasing costs through use of intermediary container lorries. Transportation of containers by rail reduces the cost by 66-75%. In the 1980s, plans were made for containerising railway freight transport, but these plans were scrapped – to the satisfaction of container lorry mudalalis.
Mismatched Planning
The lack of holistic thinking behind these proposals presents yet another issue. For example, the case of the industrial zone proposal for Mankulam, which requires an area of 240 hectares. Going by past experience, this will house about 200 factories, giving employment to about 35,000 people.
The population in the area is insufficient to provide a labour force, so workers would have to come from outside. Where would these people be housed? A clear gap exists between the required housing and infrastructure and provision for the same. No clear plan has been made for worker housing, leading to potential slums or migration strains.
Furthermore, the land use plan for Mankulam, done by the Land Use Policy Planning Department identifies only 10 ha for industrial use, plus a further 10 ha in Panikkanulam, 5km to the North. This would be suitable for only about 16-20 factories and about 3,000 jobs.
The Budget's plan for the Mankulam industrial zone may have been drawn up on the basis of the Urban Development Authority's unsuitable plan for Mankulam as a regional capital, with lakhs of residents. At the time this mega-plan was drawn up, an adviser to the Ministry called it too ambitious and suggested a scaled-down plan for a 10,000-resident Mankulam new town. This would easily match 10-20 ha for industrial use.
The example of Mankulam gives an idea of the ad-hoc nature of economic planning in Sri Lanka, and the lack of theoretical knowledge regarding the process of industrialisation.
Industry does not just spring up, it develops organically with society. Industrialisation is no standalone, but a holistic process, depending on other developments in society, for example, the provision of cheap food and adequate housing and transport, for the required cheap labour. It can only develop in an industrial ecosystem, which the government must provide.
The current strategy lacks coherence, with zones being planned in isolation from local resources, labour, and logistics. For instance, while Paranthan's strength lies in brine-based chemicals, the Budget prioritises generic chemical production, such as sulphuric acid, disregarding regional advantages.
Paranthan
The government should focus on targeted industrial zones based on local advantages. For example, Paranthan's proximity to both the Elephant Pass salt pans and to potential renewable solar and wind energy sources (electrolysis requiring stable power) makes it ideally positioned to develop a specialised industry around brine-based chemicals. These include:
Chlorine:
A critical component in PVC production (used in plastics, pipes, and cables), water treatment (disinfection), and pharmaceuticals.
Caustic soda:
Essential for textile processing (mercerisation), soap and detergent manufacturing, paper production, and aluminium refining via the Bayer process.
Hydrogen:
Used in ammonia production for fertilisers, petroleum refining, and as a potential clean fuel source.
Hydrochloric Acid:
Vital for steel pickling (rust removal), food processing (pH regulation, gelatine production), and chemical synthesis (e.G. Vinyl chloride for PVC).
Sodium Carbonate and Bicarbonate:
Key inputs for glass manufacturing, detergents, and food preservation (baking soda).
Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite):
Widely used in water purification, textile bleaching, and household disinfectants.
Additionally, there are some high-value derivatives such as Chlorinated Paraffin (lubricants and plasticisers), Chlorinated Solvents (dry cleaning and industrial degreasing), Zinc Chloride (essential for battery electrolytes, metal soldering fluxes, and wood preservation), and Calcium Chloride (food preservation and as a concrete accelerator).
Solutions
By focusing on these brine-derived chemicals, Paranthan can put to use its natural resource advantage to establish a competitive, high-value industrial cluster, avoiding the inefficiencies of generic chemical production.
In the same way, Trincomalee could exploit its natural harbour and its proximity to Eppawela to avoid costly inland transport and develop industries based on sulphuric acid and rock phosphate processing.
The government should also look to revive rail freight, for example to reduce logistics costs for bulk chemicals. It needs to rebuild port-rail links for container transport, and to offer subsidised rail rates for industries in the new zones.
Additionally, the success of these zones depends on strong incentives for outstation investment, such as tax holidays, utility subsidies and export rebates. Incentives should be linked to employment generation.
Furthermore, these zones require integrated urban-industrial planning for sustainability. A phased approach should be adopted: starting with pilot projects in smaller areas, say 10-20 ha, and expanding as demand grows. Before expanding the zones, the government should ensure adequate, affordable housing for workers (preferably within walking distance), public transport links (especially by bus and rail) to nearby towns. For a constant supply of skilled labour, vocational training facilities should be provided. In essence, this would be the basis for a series of industry-based new towns, which could absorb expanding urban population without leading to crowding.
To summarise, the 2025 Budget's industrial zone plans have potential but suffer from disjointed planning, transport inefficiencies, and unrealistic scaling. Success requires:
Localised, resource-based industrialisation (not one-size-fits-all).
Logistics reform (rail freight revival).
Stronger incentives to attract investors.
Phased expansion, starting at a small scale.
Integrated urban-industrial development.
Without these fixes, Sri Lanka risks underutilised zones, wasted funds, and missed export opportunities.
(Vinod Moonesinghe read mechanical engineering at the University of Westminster, and worked in Sri Lanka in the tea machinery, motor spares, and railway industries. He later turned to journalism and history. He served as chair of the Board of Governors of the Ceylon German Technical Training Institute. He is a convenor of the Asia Progress Forum, which can be contacted at asiaprogressforum@gmail.Com.)
By Vinod Moonesinghe
Global Health Figures Honored By WHO For Lifetime Achievements In Malaria And Beyond
At the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly on 20 May 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus bestowed the prestigious Award for Global Health upon two distinguished figures in global medicine: Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck of Senegal and Professor Sir Brian Greenwood of the United Kingdom. Both received honorary lifetime achievement recognitions for their extraordinary contributions to public health, particularly in malaria elimination and health system strengthening across Africa and beyond.
This annual award, established in 2019, celebrates individuals whose efforts have had a profound and lasting impact on the well-being of populations globally. This year's award was especially notable for acknowledging the tireless, decades-long dedication of two scientists whose work spans clinical practice, policy reform, scientific discovery, and advocacy.
Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck: A Champion for African Health SystemsSenegalese physician and global health advocate, Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck, was recognized for her expansive role in reforming health care delivery and integrating disease control programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Her career has spanned clinical care, academic research, government service, and international advocacy.
While serving as Senegal's Minister of Health, Professor Coll Seck led transformative reforms that expanded universal access to care and bolstered national health system infrastructure. Under her leadership, Senegal became a model for integrating programs targeting HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and maternal and child health, setting a precedent for other nations in the region.
Beyond her governmental role, Professor Coll Seck served as Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership from 2004 to 2011. In this capacity, she galvanized political and financial support for malaria control across low-income nations and coordinated global responses that significantly reduced malaria-related deaths and illnesses.
She has served on influential global boards, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH). Her advocacy extends into vaccine equity, financing health systems, and amplifying the leadership of women in health sectors globally.
Currently President of Forum Galien Afrique, Professor Coll Seck remains an active voice in shaping future health policies. Reflecting on her journey, she emphasized the importance of enduring global solidarity, women's leadership, and science-driven health interventions. "This prize symbolizes trust in the values I defend: solidarity between peoples, science in the service of humanity, and the leadership of women in the health system," she said.
Professor Coll Seck earned her medical degree from the University of Dakar and pursued postgraduate specialization in infectious diseases, bacteriology, and virology in France.
Professor Sir Brian Greenwood: Pioneering Researcher in Malaria and Infectious DiseasesProfessor Sir Brian Greenwood's extensive body of work spans over five decades, during which he has significantly shaped infectious disease control strategies worldwide. Best known for his groundbreaking research in malaria, his contributions have underpinned numerous public health victories in Africa.
Beginning his career in Nigeria in the 1960s, Professor Greenwood quickly became a leader in tropical medicine. His early work focused on measles, meningitis, malaria, and other high-burden diseases that plagued pediatric populations. He later moved to The Gambia, where he directed comprehensive field research and public health programs for decades.
One of his most impactful achievements was demonstrating the efficacy of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), which substantially reduced child mortality and became a central pillar of malaria prevention globally. His clinical trials also played a critical role in the development and approval of the RTS,S malaria vaccine—the first vaccine recommended by WHO for widespread use against the disease.
Professor Greenwood returned to the UK in 1996 to join the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where he continues to mentor the next generation of public health scientists. His contributions to meningitis control through the use of the MenAfriVac vaccine in the African meningitis belt were pivotal in stopping regional epidemics, particularly in Chad. His research has since supported combining seasonal immunization campaigns with malaria chemoprevention, reinforcing integrated public health approaches.
Reflecting on his early experiences, he recounted, "The pediatric wards were full of measles, meningitis, malaria, polio. There were even still cases of smallpox. Under-5 mortality was around 400 per 1,000 in some parts of West Africa. Today, that has dropped tenfold. In The Gambia, it's now about 40."
A Legacy of Hope and ResilienceDr. Tedros praised both laureates for their unwavering dedication to science, advocacy, and public service. "Their invaluable contributions have helped to alleviate the burden of malaria and other vaccine-preventable diseases and to build sustainable health system capacity in Africa," he said.
Both Professor Coll Seck and Professor Greenwood have served on key WHO and global health advisory committees, shaping policies that affect millions. Their work has not only saved lives but transformed how the world approaches infectious disease prevention, health equity, and sustainable healthcare delivery.
The 2025 WHO Global Health Awards serve as a powerful reminder of the critical role of research, leadership, and collaboration in tackling the world's most urgent health challenges. The enduring legacy of Professors Coll Seck and Greenwood continues to inspire new generations committed to health for all.
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