[ti:WHO to Release First Malaria Vaccine in Africa] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the next step [00:05.40]in its release of the world's first approved malaria vaccine. [00:10.20]The release is expected to take place [00:13.04]in three African countries: Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. [00:19.20]But the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, [00:22.16]a vaccine supporter, has said it has concerns. [00:27.52]WHO said last fall the vaccine was a "historic" development [00:32.80]in efforts to control malaria. [00:35.24]But the Gates Foundation told The Associated Press this week [00:39.96]that it will no longer financially support the vaccine. [00:44.68]Some scientists warn the decision could leave [00:47.68]millions of African children at risk. [00:50.68]It could also weaken future efforts [00:53.64]to solve difficult problems in public health. [00:57.80]The vaccine is called Mosquirix [01:00.48]and is sold by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). [01:04.88]It is about 30 percent effective and requires four doses. [01:11.32]The malaria vaccine has "a much lower efficacy [01:14.76]than we would like," said Philip Welkhoff. [01:18.08]He is the Gates Foundation's director of malaria programs. [01:23.08]The foundation is ending its support [01:26.04]after spending more than $200 million [01:29.44]and working more than 20 years to get the vaccine. [01:33.80]Welkhoff also said the vaccine is too costly [01:37.44]and difficult to provide. [01:40.76]Welkhoff said the foundation's money [01:43.52]would be better spent on other malaria vaccines and treatments. [01:47.76]Some of the resources that might have gone [01:50.92]into providing the vaccine to countries [01:53.56]have been redirected to buy new mosquito nets. [01:58.12]Alister Craig is with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. [02:03.40]"It's not the greatest vaccine in the world, [02:06.36]but there are ways of using it that could have a big impact," he said. [02:12.24]The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic hurt efforts to stop malaria. [02:18.44]Malaria killed more than 620,000 people in 2020 [02:23.08]and caused 241 million cases, [02:26.48]mainly in children under five in Africa, Craig said. [02:32.00]"There could be another vaccine approved in about five years, [02:35.88]but that's a lot of lives lost if we wait until then," Craig said. [02:42.12]There is another vaccine currently being developed [02:45.16]by Oxford University. [02:47.32]BioNTech, creator of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, [02:51.92]also plans to use the messenger RNA technology [02:55.96]it used for the coronavirus for a malaria shot. [03:00.00]But that project has just begun. [03:04.52]Another big problem is production. [03:07.32]GSK said it can only produce about [03:10.84]15 million injections per year until 2028. [03:16.12]WHO estimates that to protect the 25 million children [03:20.76]born in Africa every year, [03:22.92]at least 100 million doses every year might be needed. [03:28.20]"All the money in the world" would not help the vaccine's [03:31.60]short-term supply problems, said Welkhoff. [03:35.68]He noted that the Gates Foundation [03:38.40]continues to support the Gavi vaccine alliance. [03:42.12]Gavi said it is spending nearly $156 million [03:46.60]to make the vaccine available in the three African countries. [03:52.08]The vaccine, even with its problems, [03:54.72]is still greatly desired in Malawi. [03:59.12]Nolia Zidana said she hopes to get her two young sons [04:03.56]the shot after seeing malaria sicken them several times [04:07.44]— and surviving it herself. [04:11.20]"Growing up with my parents and siblings, [04:14.08]we have been sick from malaria all the time," she said. [04:18.60]Dr. Michael Kayange is with Malawi's Ministry of Health. [04:23.92]He urged everyone in the country [04:26.44]to take whatever measures they can to stop malaria. [04:30.40]Immunization itself is unable to stop the disease [04:35.00]and people should take many measures, he said. [04:39.56]"Even just by sleeping under a mosquito net, [04:42.68]you have played your role [04:44.28]in reducing the malaria burden in the country," he said. [04:48.84]I'm Dan Novak. [04:49.80]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM