Speaking at the handover ceremony, Beninese Minister of Health Benjamin Hounkpatin said the doses of vaccine were acquired by the government with the support of its partners in the health sector, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which is an important step toward widespread vaccination against one of the most deadly diseases for African children.

"The introduction of the malaria vaccine into the Expanded Program on Immunization is a major step forward in the fight against this disease in Benin," he said, adding that the administration of the malaria vaccine in highly endemic areas will make it possible to control the disease and save tens of thousands of lives every year.

"The combination of vaccination with other measures to combat malaria, such as the use of insecticide-impregnated bed nets, indoor residual spraying, intermittent preventive treatment for pregnant women, and the use of antimalarial drugs, will help to significantly reduce malaria-related deaths," he said.

Malaria remains endemic in Benin and is the leading cause of death among children under 5, accounting for 40 percent of outpatient consultations and 25 percent of all hospital admissions in the country.

Beninese Minister of Health Benjamin Hounkpatin (2nd L) attends a handover ceremony for malaria vaccine at Cotonou International Airport in Cotonou, Benin, Jan. 15, 2024. The Beninese government received 215,900 doses of malaria vaccine at Cotonou International Airport on Monday and will begin administering them in the coming months. Malaria remains endemic in Benin and is the leading cause of death among children under 5, accounting for 40 percent of outpatient consultations and 25 percent of all hospital admissions in the country. (Photo by Seraphin Zounyekpe/Xinhua)