News summary produced by Claude AI
Cameroon, which became the first nation to incorporate the RTS,S malaria vaccine into routine immunization programs over two years ago, is experiencing measurable reductions in malaria cases among vaccinated children. However, health workers report significant challenges in achieving full vaccination coverage, particularly with the fourth and final booster dose administered around age two. While first-dose coverage has improved from 66% to 68% between 2024 and 2025, fourth-dose coverage remains at approximately 25%.
A pilot program across Ghana, Kenya and Malawi demonstrated this pattern earlier, with approximately 80% of eligible children receiving the first dose but coverage dropping to 46% for the fourth dose. Researchers identified several barriers to completion, including transportation costs, lack of appointment reminders, poor follow-up systems, and competing parental obligations. Health workers and parents sometimes overlook the fourth dose because of the extended time gap following earlier doses and the vaccine’s relative newness in immunization schedules.
Cameroon recorded 7.6 million malaria cases and 11,700 deaths in 2024, making it one of 11 countries accounting for approximately 70% of the global malaria burden. Data showed 33,000 fewer cases in 2025 compared to 2024, though experts caution that the vaccine represents one of multiple contributing factors rather than the sole cause of the decline. Officials stress that completing all four doses is essential for sustained protection.
Over 52 million vaccine doses have reached 25 high-risk African countries through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, though recent foreign aid cuts have created constraints on future supply. Despite these challenges, Gavi reported that lower-income countries vaccinated 73 million children with Gavi-supported vaccines in 2025, the highest number in any year. Researchers are pursuing development of single-dose malaria vaccines, recognizing that fewer required doses would likely improve completion rates and accessibility across the continent.
For families, malaria prevention carries significant economic importance, as medical treatment for recurring infections creates substantial financial burdens in countries where many households live in poverty.