FG Approves R21 Malaria Vaccine
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), has granted approval for the R21/Matrix Malaria Vaccine (Recombinant, Adjuvanted) developed by scientists at Oxford University. Nigeria became the second country to approve of the use of the vaccine after Ghana's approval, which is adjudged to be 80 percent effective. The only vaccine previously endorsed for malaria by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is the RTS, S/AS01 (RTS,S) vaccine which is 29 percent effective in preventing severe malaria. The Director-General of NAFDAC Mojisola Adeyeye made this revelation on 17th April 2023 at a press briefing “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in exercising its mandate as stipulated by its enabling law, NAFDAC Act CapN1, LFN 2004 is granting registration approval for R21 malaria vaccine”