Nigeria has become the second country after Ghana to approve the R21/Matrix-MTM malaria vaccine, which is hoped to save millions of lives in the country.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced conditional approval of the vaccine in Abuja on Monday.
Mojisola Adeyeye, director general, NAFDAC, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday said the vaccine prevents clinical malaria in children between 5 to 36 months, and provides 71 percent protection.
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The DG named Fidson healthcare limited as the market authorisation holder.
She explained that the approval of the vaccine follows stringent review of the dossier of the vaccine by the agency and critical stakeholders in line with the World Health Organisation standards.
She added that the conditional approval also follows the huge burden of malaria in Nigeria with children being the most vulnerable.
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