Historic First as Ethiopia Rolls Out R21 Malaria Vaccine
Ethiopia has made history, becoming the first country to launch the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, delivered alongside insecticide-treated nets to protect children in 58 high-burden districts.
With 186,000 doses ready for rollout, this integrated approach provides double protection against one of Africa’s deadliest diseases.
Africa CDC congratulates Ethiopia for its leadership and partnership – bringing us one step closer to a continent free of malaria.
The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with the Serum Institute of India and Novavax, demonstrated up to 77% efficacy in clinical trials published in 2021 and was endorsed by the World Health Organization in 2023 for use in children under three – marking a major advancement in global malaria prevention efforts.
📥 Read the full brief in your preferred language:
👉 English PDF – Africa CDC Weekly Brief | 15 – 21 September 2025
👉 Version française – Bulletin Hebdomadaire d’Africa CDC | 15 – 21 September 2025
🔗 For direct inquiries or media engagement: communications@africacdc.org
