Pune (Maharashtra) [India], In a major achievement, Serum Institute of India (SII) has shipped the first set of R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine doses to the Africa region, where there is a high burden of the disease. The distribution of the malaria vaccine throughout the African region will be an important step in the global fight against malaria. According to the information, the initial shipment will be sent to the Central African Republic (CAR), followed by other African countries such as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Of the total 163,800 doses specifically allocated for the CAR region in the coming days, only 43,200 doses will be sent today to the Serum Institute of India facility from SII, Novavax and the University of Oxford, which are partners in the innovation of this novel vaccine, observed The milestone was marked during an event in the presence of US Ambassador to India Ari Garcetti, highlighting the successful global partnership between the three countries – India, the US and the UK. Till now, Serum Institute of India has manufactured 25 million doses with a capacity of Rs.As early as October 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended R21/Matrix-M for malaria prevention in children, which could be scaled up to 100 million doses annually. R21 vaccine is the second malaria vaccine recommended by WHO after RTS. S/AS01 vaccine, which received WHO recommendation in 2021. Both vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective in preventing malaria in children and, when implemented widely, are expected to have a high public health impact on malaria, a mosquito-borne disease. In the African region with a particularly high burden on children, where approximately half a million children die from the disease each year, the demand for malaria vaccines is unprecedented; However, the available supply of RTS,s is limited.The addition of R21 to the list of malaria vaccines recommended by WHO is expected to lead to sufficient vaccine supply to benefit all children living in areas where malaria is a public health risk, WHO recommended the R21 vaccine in October. While doing this the emphasis was on the CEO and the owner. Adar Poonawala, while speaking to ANI, said that both the countries are coming together with the best scientists, the best from academia, manufacturing, innovation, all coming together, and have a common goal, to save lives.
"But the most important and significant thing here is that the Serum Institute, as you know, has always made affordable vaccines, providing access to lower middle income countries around the world," Poonawalla, the US envoy to India, said. Can." Speaking to ANI, Garcetti said, America and India together are an extraordinary force for good in the world and I want to thank Poonawalla and the Serum Institute of India, who, together with Novavax and Oxford University, are going to be able to do this. Have been. “Today this vaccine will be sent to Africa and starting next week, lives will be saved,” the UK envoy said.
“Families will have children who would otherwise be taken away from them.Every minute we see someone in Africa, a child, die of malaria, and we see how amazing this work can be when the United States and India come together. We saw this during the pandemic, it's definitely one of the proudest moments for me in India, and I think it's a matter of pride for all of us that we were able to play a small role and ensure that they The families will outlive us," Garcetti said.
"But the most important and significant thing here is that the Serum Institute, as you know, has always made affordable vaccines, providing access to lower middle income countries around the world," Poonawalla, the US envoy to India, said. Can." Speaking to ANI, Garcetti said, America and India together are an extraordinary force for good in the world and I want to thank Poonawalla and the Serum Institute of India, who, together with Novavax and Oxford University, are going to be able to do this. Have been. “Today this vaccine will be sent to Africa and starting next week, lives will be saved,” the UK envoy said.
“Families will have children who would otherwise be taken away from them.Every minute we see someone in Africa, a child, die of malaria, and we see how amazing this work can be when the United States and India come together. We saw this during the pandemic, it's definitely one of the proudest moments for me in India, and I think it's a matter of pride for all of us that we were able to play a small role and ensure that they The families will outlive us," Garcetti said.
