South Sudan: First Batch of Malaria Vaccines Received
IGAD representative handling keys of new health center to Yoland Awel Deng, minister of health in South Sudan May, 23, 2024 @Eastleighvoice
June 3, 2024 Hour: 9:15 pm
Obia Achieng, deputy representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in South Sudan, said the country faces one of the highest malaria burdens in the region, with an estimated 7,630 cases and 18 deaths daily.
On Monday, the South Sudan government received the first consignment of 645,000 doses of malaria vaccine, which will be introduced into the country’s routine immunization program.
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Minister of Health Yolanda Awel Deng said the R21 malaria vaccines will be distributed to 28 counties.
“Malaria is a major concern for our country. We are committed to reducing the impact of malaria and improving the health outcomes for our children,” Deng said in an official statement in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
Obia Achieng, deputy representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in South Sudan, said the country faces one of the highest malaria burdens in the region, with an estimated 7,630 cases and 18 deaths daily.
He said that in 2022, South Sudan recorded a staggering 76 percent surge in reported malaria cases, highlighting the urgent need for effective intervention. “The availability of this new malaria vaccine, after nearly 60 years of development, represents a monumental breakthrough for science, malaria control and child health,” Achieng said.
Janet Michael, director general of primary health care in the Ministry of Health, said that almost a quarter of all disease diagnoses in health facilities are malaria-related in the country, adding that this has contributed to the high infant and maternal mortality rate in the country.
Autor: OSG
Fuente: Africanews
