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Safety of malaria vaccine, Mosquirix: A public health Expert's opinion

Safety of malaria vaccine, Mosquirix: A public health Expert's opinion

A Public Health expert is sceptical about the efficacy of the new malaria vaccine, Mosquirix, which is currently being deployed by the World Health Organisation in parts of Ghana.

The expert, Fuseini Donkor, said the vaccine brings a new dimension to dealing with the dreaded tropical disease, malaria, beyond mosquito nets and insecticides but not a cure for malaria.

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A major trial of the world’s first malaria vaccine is underway in Malawi, Kenya and Ghana.

Initial testing of RTS the world’s first anti-malaria vaccine has given the indication that it has an efficacy level of about 40%.

Mosquirix , the new malaria vaccine

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The RTS,S vaccine trains the immune system to attack the malaria parasite, which is spread by mosquito bites.

The deployment of the vaccine has since attracted resistance from some Ghanaians who have their doubts about the vaccine and its ability to avert the spread of malaria.

Although the Ghana Health Service has allayed the fears of sceptics, some anti-vaccine campaigners believe Ghanaian children would be used as guinea pigs to test the new drugs.

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Fuseini Donkor interacting with show host, Captain Smart

Commenting on this development on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem Tuesday, Mr Donkor who is a former District Chief Executive of Sekyere Afram Plains in the Ashanti Region said the concerns being raised by such campaigners are legitimate.

He explained that though the vaccine marks a milestone in the battle against the parasite that causes malaria, it is not a panacea for its elimination or prevention.

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Mr Donkor also noted that for a vaccine that will be administered in
four doses to prevent only about four in 10 malaria cases among children is woefully inadequate.

He stressed that an ideal malaria vaccine should be safe, highly effective, and provide long-term immunity.

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The only way to be safe, he stressed, is for the chain of transmission of Plasmodium, which is the malaria parasite to be broken.

“We need to keep our environments clean and sleep in treated mosquito nets and we will be safe,” he added.

Source: Ghana|Adomonline.com|Adwoa Gyasiwaa Agyeman

Original Story on: AdomOnline
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