Togo, the first African country to roll out the R21 malaria vaccine nationwide

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Extract from the article: On September 4, 2025, in Sokodé, Professor Tchin Darré, Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, officially launched the introduction of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine into Togo's Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI).

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On September 4, 2025, in Sokodé, Professor Tchin Darré, Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, officially launched the introduction of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine into Togo's Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI).

The Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, with the support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, AMP, Malaria Consortium, and OPT-MVAC, is officially introducing the malaria vaccine into its Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI). This introduction represents a major step forward in the fight against malaria, which remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children in the country.

Togo thus becomes one of the African countries to introduce this innovative vaccine on a national scale, with the aim of reducing malaria-related morbidity and mortality among children under five.

"It is important to prevent this disease in children, hence the need to introduce this vaccine into routine immunization. This decision reflects the commitment of the country's highest authorities, as set out in the National Strategic Plan to Combat Malaria (2023-2026), whose vision is that "communities and families will be free from the burden of malaria by 2030, enabling them to contribute effectively to the country's development. I would like to reiterate the government's gratitude to its partners for their multifaceted support," said Professor Tchin Darré.

"The WHO is providing technical and strategic support for this process, in line with the Global Roadmap for Immunization. This is a crucial opportunity not only to protect children against malaria, but also to strengthen health systems and improve the overall performance of the routine immunization program," said Dr. Hilaire Ouédraogo, WHO Representative in Togo, who congratulated the national authorities for their efforts to improve the health of the population.

With this introduction, Togo becomes the 22nd country to include the malaria vaccine in its national immunization program. It also becomes the first country to introduce it nationwide in its expanded program on immunization. The vaccine is being rolled out in all 39 districts of the country and has been administered since September 1 to all children aged 5 months. This will certainly significantly reduce hospitalizations and mortality among fully vaccinated children. The total number of children expected to be vaccinated in the first year is 270,000 across the country.

"The introduction of the malaria vaccine in Togo strengthens the protection of children against this preventable disease, which continues to claim the lives of children under the age of 5. UNICEF is committed to supporting the government's efforts to ensure that every girl and boy living in Togo, regardless of where they live, has access to essential health care in a manner that respects equity. As for community health workers, your commitment is essential to the complete vaccination of our children," said UNICEF Resident Representative Dr. Erinna Dia.

This introductory activity is supported by partners including Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which, through alliance partners such as WHO, UNICEF, AMP, and the government, supports the purchase, logistics, review of tools, and deployment of the vaccine. In addition, Gavi is investing in cold chain infrastructure, human resources, and data collection systems.

"This is a great moment for Togo and for all of us working to defeat malaria... With the malaria vaccine now deployed in 22 countries and more than 31 million doses already delivered, continued funding and investment will be essential to ensure that this vital new tool reaches everyone who needs it and supports the fight against one of Africa's deadliest diseases," said Riswana Soundardjee, Senior Country Manager (Togo, Senegal, and Liberia), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

The R21/Matrix-M vaccine, which is completely free of charge, will be administered in four doses starting at 5 months of age and will complement other malaria control interventions already in place, such as the distribution of mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying, seasonal chemoprevention, chemoprevention for pregnant women, intermittent preventive treatment for infants, and early case management with artemisinin-based combination therapies. This initiative is part of national efforts to improve the health and well-being of Togolese children.

This launch is the result of coordinated efforts between the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), technical and financial partners, and community stakeholders. The Inter-Agency Coordination Committee (IACC) and the National Organizing Committee (NOC), with technical and financial support from GAVI, WHO, and UNICEF, played a key role in planning this introduction.

In parallel with these actions, communication and social mobilization activities are being carried out to inform families and mobilize community leaders and local elected officials in favor of vaccination. Mothers' clubs and Red Cross fathers' clubs are also being called upon to relay key messages, raise awareness among households, and encourage families to have their children fully vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene and its partners are calling on all parents, community leaders, local authorities, and civil society actors to actively support this introduction so that every eligible child receives all doses of the malaria vaccine.

Malaria situation in Togo

In Togo, malaria is endemic throughout the country and is transmitted year-round, with an increase during the rainy seasons. The main pathogen is Plasmodium falciparum (94.6%), followed by Plasmodium malariae (3%) and Plasmodium ovale (2.4%).

In 2023, Togo recorded approximately 2.14 million cases of malaria and 3,456 deaths, according to the WHO's World Malaria Report 2024, highlighting the continuing high burden of this disease in the country. During the period from 2017 to 2023, the incidence of malaria rose from 168‰ to 192‰, marked by an increasing trend in malaria cases.

The epidemiological situation specific to children under 5 shows that they account for one-third of malaria cases (34% in 2021 and 32% in 2023), 53% of severe malaria cases hospitalized in 2023, and two-thirds of malaria-related deaths (64% in 2021 and 65.8% in 2023).

Source: MSHP