In what was very big news for global health, this week the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended a new vaccine for the prevention of malaria in children, called R21/Matrix-M.
Malaria, caused by infection with Plasmodium parasites and transmitted via mosquitoes, still causes many millions of cases and more than 600,000 deaths annually, the majority in children under five and pregnant women in Africa.
This is the second malaria vaccine to be endorsed by the WHO, following a vaccine called RTS,S/AS01 in 2021.