Macete was speaking to reporters on Tuesday during a visit to the centre by Queen Sofia of Spain. The centre has a close relationship with Spain and has received core funding from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
According to Macete, the first phases of the clinical trial showed an efficacy against clinical and severe malaria of 55 per cent for children under the age of five. Because of this, the health authorities expect that the vaccine will become an important instrument in the fight against the disease.
Macete said “we believe that in two years the first vaccine against malaria will be available through the national health system in Mozambique”.
The Queen’s representative, Pedro Alonso, added “we feel honoured to support and participate in the development of this vaccine because it will contribute to saving many lives in Mozambique”.
He believed that AECID will continue to support research and training in the health sector in Mozambique to strengthen the fight against various illnesses afflicting the population.
Queen Sofia also visited the Manhica district hospital, which receives financial support from AECID.
The RTS,S malaria vaccine candidate has been under development since the 1980s, and the African countries involved in the research include Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania.
Half of the world’s population is at risk of catching malaria, an illness that is responsible for about 655,000 deaths each year. Most of these deaths are children under five years of age living in sub-Saharan Africa.
Post published in: Africa News