NIGERIA. Ogbia. December 20, 2024.
Onuegbu community (Bayelsa State). Permanent Aselo checks if her fish is grilled enough to be sold.

Permanent is one of the many Nigerian women who lost a child to Malaria. As the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria accounts for approximately 27% of the global malaria burden and 31% of global malaria deaths, which affects children under five and pregnant women the most, according to the latest WHO data. Bayelsa, located in the southern region of Nigeria, acconted for 1% of the malaria burden in Nigeria, with an estimated 673,000 cases in 2021.

In a historic step in the fight against malaria in Nigeria, one million doses of R21 vaccine were delivered in a national government action made possible thanks to the combined efforts of Gavi, the Vaccine alliance, which supported the cost of the vaccines, transport and admnistration, and UNICEF and WHO, which managed the procurement and shipment. The vaccination campaign aligns with Nigeria's National Malaria Elminiation Program, which aims to "reduce mortality attributable to malaria to less than 50 deaths per 1,000 livebirths in 2025," according to the government website. Permanent's last child was vaccinated.