Policy uptake and implementation of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine in sub-Saharan African countries: status 2 years following the WHO recommendation
BMJ Global Health·
- DOI
- 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014719
- PMID
- —
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W4396243866
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
Twenty of thirty countries applying for vaccine support received financial approval from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization as of March 2024, demonstrating widespread interest. However, limited RTS,S/AS01 availability prevents some approved countries from receiving required doses, raising vaccine equity concerns.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study examined the policy uptake and implementation status of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine across sub-Saharan African countries two years after WHO recommendation in October 2021.
Study design
The analysis searched national malaria policy websites and guidelines for vaccine implementation documents, supplemented by direct contact with malaria programme staff to obtain materials not publicly accessible.
Population and setting
The study covered sub-Saharan African countries eligible for RTS,S/AS01 implementation following WHO recommendation for use in children in moderate-to-high transmission areas.
Main findings
Ten countries had documents on malaria vaccine implementation, with seven referencing RTS,S/AS01 and three also mentioning R21/Matrix-M. Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi integrated the vaccine into routine services following pilot programs, while Cameroon and Burkina Faso became the first non-pilot countries to incorporate it. The first dose schedule was consistent at 5 or 6 months across countries, but the fourth dose timing varied between 18, 22, and 24 months.
Public-health relevance
Twenty of thirty countries applying for vaccine support received financial approval from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization as of March 2024, demonstrating widespread interest. However, limited RTS,S/AS01 availability prevents some approved countries from receiving required doses, raising vaccine equity concerns.
Important limitations
This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata. Decision-grade interpretation requires review of the original paper, including methods for document identification completeness and temporal scope of data collection.
GIDS interpretation
The article was classified under malaria, health policy, transmission dynamics, and vaccination topics for eight sub-Saharan African countries, supporting discoverability for searches on malaria vaccine policy implementation or country-specific immunization program uptake.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 11 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.