Under-5 children are expected to start receiving malaria vaccine under the model Malaria Vaccine Implementation Program (MVIP) by the district health office and College of Medicine.

Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Coordinator Frank Mwanoka described the vaccine as the promising intervention to prevent malaria among under five children.

“Children who receive the four doses of the vaccine have a significantly lower risk of developing clinical Malaria as well as severe malaria,” Mwanoka said.

He further said that the malaria vaccine underwent trials and it was found to have protective effects from malaria.

“The vaccine was found to have a protective effect in a larger phase 3 clinical trial conducted between 2009 and 2014 in seven sub-Saharan countries including Malawi,” he said.

He also added that MVIP will be continuous for three years where evaluation will be made and possibly roll out to other districts.

The program is expected to involve 70 health experts, a development that will help to ease the challenge of inadequate health workers in hospitals.