Malaria vaccine development began in the 1960s, with significant progress over the last decade. on October 6, 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) malaria vaccine for widespread use among children in sub-Saharan Africa and other high malaria transmission areas. In 2023, the WHO approved another vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, for malaria-endemic regions.
World Mosquito Day, also known as International Mosquito Day, is observed annually on August 20. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about the various diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, particularly the female Anopheles mosquito.
Malaria cases and deaths remain unacceptably high and are resurgent in several settings, though recent developments inspire optimism. This includes the approval of the world's first malaria vaccine and results from novel vaccine candidates and trials testing innovative combinatorial interventions.
An analysis led by ISGlobal, an institution supported by "la Caixa," identifies African regions where ivermectin administration to livestock would have the greatest impact on malaria transmission. The results, published, inScientific Reports, point to West Africa, below the Sahel, where malaria prevalence is very high.