AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) applauds the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation of a new malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, for preventing malaria, which disproportionately affects African children. The affordable and easily deployable vaccine is a welcome step towards vaccinating our world, and Global North countries should help fund the vaccine for equitable distribution.

“Once deployed, the new vaccine will help prevent more than 600,000 annual deaths due to malaria, which affects children under age five in Africa most. We urge Global North countries to ensure adequate resources are available to keep up with the need for doses on the continent and globally,” said Dr. Penninah Iutung, Africa Bureau Chief for AHF. “With game-changing medical developments like R21/Matrix-M, we have the tools to protect our communities, particularly our most vulnerable youth, from this deadly but preventable and treatable infectious disease. Now, we must all work together to deliver on the promise this vaccine offers – saving the millions of lives affected by malaria.”

About AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is a global non-profit organization providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to over 1.9 million people in 45 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Europe. We are currently the largest non-profit provider of HIV/AIDS medical care in the world. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare

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