“As a malaria researcher, I used to dream of the day we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now we have two,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.

WHO just recommended a new vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, for the prevention of malaria in children. The first malaria vaccine recommended by WHO was the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, in 2021. However, as demand for the RTS,S vaccine far exceeds supply, “this second vaccine is a vital additional tool to protect more children faster, and to bring us closer to our vision of a malaria-free future,” the WHO director said.