JUBA, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Tuesday launched the second-phase rollout of the R21 malaria vaccine across 52 counties, in partnership with United Nations agencies and the Gavi vaccine alliance.
The initiative targeting 324,571 children aged five to 23 months is aimed to tackle the rising number of deaths caused by malaria, the ministry of health, the World Health Organization and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a joint statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
Minister for Health Sarah Cleto Rial said the scale-up of the malaria vaccination across the country is a critical step in reducing malaria-related deaths, adding that this effort complements the existing prevention interventions like bed nets and antimalarial drugs.
"This steep dropout in the first round of vaccinations and the increasing malaria-related deaths are concerning and highlight the urgent need for additional measures, including improved service delivery, default tracking, community engagement, and follow-up mechanisms," Cleto said.
A total of 148,878 children across 28 counties in six states received the first dose of malaria vaccine from July 2024 to May 2025 during the first phase.
The joint statement noted that of the children who received the first dose, only 83,668 returned for the second dose, 51,002 continued to the third dose, and only 11,370 completed the final fourth dose.
Noala Skinner, UNICEF representative in South Sudan, said the launch of the second phase of the R21 malaria vaccine marks a pivotal step forward to protect South Sudanese children from the devastating risk of malaria.
"We are not just delivering a vaccine. We are giving hope," she said. "Every child deserves a childhood free from malaria."
"The R21 vaccine will shield more children from sickness and death, allowing them to survive, thrive, and shape the future of this nation," Skinner said.
According to the UN, malaria continues to be a major health challenge in South Sudan, with 5.5 million cases and over 4,000 deaths annually.
"Access to treatment, insecticide-treated bed nets, and vaccines is low, with the 2023 malaria indicator survey showing a rise in malaria prevalence among children aged 6-59 months from 32 percent in 2017 to 52.6 percent in 2023, placing a heavy burden on South Sudan's fragile healthcare system," the joint statement said.
The organizations are planning for a mass distribution of 9.5 million long-lasting insecticide-treated nets in 2026. ■
