The World Health Organization (WHO) has given the green light to a second malaria vaccine, offering countries a potentially more accessible and cost-effective option to combat the parasitic disease.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the approval of the new malaria vaccine for use in children at risk of the disease, marking a significant step in malaria prevention efforts.

While the first malaria vaccine, known as Mosquirix and developed by GSK, has limited effectiveness and requires four doses, the new vaccine presents a promising alternative.

Regulatory authorities in Ghana and Burkina Faso had previously approved the new vaccine earlier this year.

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Experts believe that widespread deployment of the new vaccine in Africa could significantly reduce severe illness and deaths caused by malaria in the coming years.

However, it’s important to note that neither of these malaria vaccines stops disease transmission, and additional measures such as bed nets and insecticides remain essential to malaria control efforts.