Malaria vaccine: NIMR upgrades facilities

Mosquito

As the world awaits a potential malaria vaccine, Nigerian scientists have explained that Nigeria was not included in the ongoing malaria phase 3 vaccine trial in seven African countries because the country (Nigeria) did not meet the laid down criteria at that time. The promising malaria vaccine, RTS,S also The RTS,S Phase 3 efficacy trial of what is acclaimed the most clinically advanced malaria vaccine is ongoing in seven African countries has been tested on 16,000 children and is the first candidate vaccine to reach phase-3 clinical testing.

The experts who spoke in Lagos at a symposium held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Yaba, to mark this year’s World Malaria Day, called for more investment in local malaria research.

The Head, Malaria Research Group, NIMR, Dr. Sam Awolola said non availability of up to date trial sites was the major reason why Nigeria was excluded.

Awolola who said the development was a matter of concern, however said Nigeria had since developed functional sites that can work on any vaccine. “NIMR started in 2013 and 2014 to characterise some sites. Today, we have sites where the malaria vaccine can be tried but at that time, when the trial was starting there was no clear evidence for an area.

Now, any research on any vaccine trial can be easily be accessed at NIMR. We are still talking with a number of companies like GSK for a potential vaccine trial.” Awolola lamented the menace of counterfeit malaria drugs which he said is responsible for the high rate of death parasite resistance to malaria drugs.

“We need more funding into malaria research if we want to totally address these challenges and reduce deaths due to malaria,” he added.

In his views, the Director General of NIMR, Prof. Innocent Ujah, represented by Director of Research, Nkiruka Odunukwe, said although the 2014 World Malaria Report showed that the malaria target under the Millennium Development Goal 6 had been met with 55 countries on track to reduce the malaria burden by 75 percent by the end of 2015, the situation in Nigeria remained complex and contradictory.

“Whereas, malaria had accounted for over 60 percent of hospital out-patient visits, 25 percent infant deaths, 30 percent of all under-five and 11 percent of maternal mortality annually, all the efforts to improve on these figures through the National Malaria Elimination Programme has not significantly changed the trend.”

In his keynote address on the theme: ‘Invest in the future, Defeat Malaria’, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris said malaria had remained an issue of public health concern. Idris explained that the use of the Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) remained one of the most effective malaria vector control methods available to date in the fight against malaria.

Also speaking, Prof. Olubunmi Otubanjo, a Professor of Parasitology at the University of Ibadan said that malaria prevention and control should not be left out in the era of change as Nigeria begins a new dispensation. Representative of the World Health Organisation, WHO, Dr. Tolu Arowolo, said there was the need to generate public awareness about the dangers of poor quality malaria drugs.

The President, Malaria Society of Nigeria, Dr. John Puddicombe, said just as the government at all levels has the responsibility to strengthen the health system, individually and as a group, the citizens also have a big stake.