George Awzenio Legge, the Director General of the Ministry of Health, announced that since mid-July, the Expanded Program on Immunization has integrated the malaria vaccine into its routine immunizations.

He noted that the first phase was launched in the states of Western and Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap, Jonglei, Central Equatoria, and Eastern Equatoria.

Legge reported that the immunization efforts have reached 10% of the targeted 250,000 children in less than three months, highlighting a strong uptake of the malaria vaccine among children aged 6 to 23 months.

“The malaria vaccine was introduced on July 16, and we’ve already vaccinated 26,000 children, which is about 10% of our overall target,” he said.

“If we consider an annualized approach, we’ve reached 117% of the children targeted for the malaria vaccine, indicating a positive response from the community.”

Despite these achievements, Legge noted challenges such as poor road infrastructure that limit access to some areas, making it difficult to deliver vaccines.

The ongoing crisis in the country has also impacted immunization efforts, leading to a shortage of healthcare workers to administer the vaccines.

Legge urged communities in the targeted areas to take advantage of available vaccines at nearby health centres to protect their children.

“Access is a significant challenge, especially in remote areas like Kapoeta East, particularly during the rainy season. Transportation of vaccines remains a major hurdle,” he explained.

He also emphasized the need for more healthcare personnel, as the economic situation has led some workers to abstain from their duties.

“This affects the availability of vaccinators when mothers bring their children to health facilities,” he added.

Legge encouraged parents and guardians to bring their children to health facilities, assuring them that the malaria vaccines are safe and effective in protecting their children.