South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The National Ministry of Health, in collaboration with partners including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has launched the R21 malaria vaccine in malaria-prone zones across the country.
South Sudan is scaling up the provision of malaria vaccines to the remaining 52 counties to increase access and tackle the rising number of deaths caused by malaria, with a target of reaching 324,571 children aged 5 to 23 months.
Noala Skinner, the UNICEF Representative to South Sudan, said the launch of the second phase of the R21 malaria vaccine marks a pivotal step forward in protecting children from the devastating risk of malaria.
“This vital initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Health and backed by WHO, UNICEF, and other partners, is a direct response to the alarming increase in malaria cases and related deaths, especially among children under five,” said Skinner in a statement on Tuesday.
“We are not just delivering a vaccine; we are giving hope. Every child deserves a childhood free from malaria. The R21 vaccine will shield more children from sickness and death, allowing them to survive, thrive, and shape the future of this nation,” Skinner added.
Skinner disclosed that the Ministry of Health, with support from WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, and JSI, launched the introduction of the vaccine to prevent and control malaria in 28 counties with the highest malaria burden.
Skinner stated that the estimated funding required for malaria commodities in 2025 is USD 3,039,151, based on a 28.6% malaria prevalence among 3.6 million people targeted under the Humanitarian Response Plan.
“The malaria vaccine has primary doses administered at 5, 6, and 7 months of age, with a fourth dose provided at 18 months. Children aged 5 to 23 months are the target for the malaria vaccines, and parents should take all children within that age bracket for vaccination,” he said.
Sarah Cleto Rial, the Minister of Health, said the scale-up of the malaria vaccine is a critical step in protecting communities and reducing deaths, noting that the vaccine complements existing prevention interventions such as nets and antimalarial drugs.
Rial revealed that the implementation of the malaria vaccine scale-up is an addition to many other strategies the Ministry of Health and its partners are implementing to reduce malaria cases and deaths in South Sudan.
“The increasing malaria-related deaths are concerning and highlight the urgent need for additional measures, including improved service delivery, defaulter tracking, community engagement, and follow-up mechanisms,” said Rial.
“We extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Health and all partners for their commitment and sustained efforts to combat malaria, especially with the scale-up of malaria vaccines in this second phase,” she added.
Despite access to treatment, insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), and vaccines remaining low, malaria continues to be a major health challenge in South Sudan, with 5.5 million cases and over 4,000 deaths annually.
The malaria vaccine rollout, which targeted over 265,000 children in the first phase, has achieved partial success regarding first-dose coverage but faces significant challenges in ensuring completion of the full four-dose schedule.
