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By Kepher Otieno
Medical researchers have developed yet another anti-malaria vaccine for children.
Experiments to establish effectiveness of the new vaccine will be conducted beginning May.
Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) and Centre for Disease Control (CDC) Kisumu Station Director Kayla Laserson said the vaccine could be a breakthrough in malaria treatment.
"Kemri/CDC, Ministry of Health in collaboration with other partners will conduct a study on an experimental malaria vaccine known as RTS S/AS01E, " she said.
Ms Laserson said the experimental vaccine has been developed with the aim to protect children against malaria. The experiments will involve Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) in areas with high malaria transmission.
The candidate vaccine was developed jointly by Glaxo SmithKline, PATH malaria vaccine initiative and the Walter Reed Army Research Institute based in Kisumu.
Areas of trial
A clinical research officer at Kemri Dr Bernard Ogutu said the trials would take place in Siaya, Ng’iya, Kogelo Health dispensary in Nyanza and Tingwani, Mulaha, Nyagetho, Bar Olengo in Coast Province.
"We are targeting 1,800 children aged between five and 17 months, " he said.
Ogutu said this was the first time they were a large number of children on trial because of the confidence they had in the vaccine.
Preliminary malaria tests showed that the vaccine is 30 per cent more effective.
The trials would enable the researchers generate an effective data imperative to apply for registration with the medical regulatory authorities.
Ogutu expressed optimism that if the trial were successful, it would be available in the market soon after it is certified by the medical regulating agencies. Malaria primarily affects children below the age of 5 years and pregnant women.
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