Ghana kenya and malawi to pilot the worlds first malaria vaccine from 2018

That's correct! In 2018, Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi were selected to pilot the world's first malaria vaccine, known as RTS,S, also called Mosquirix. The vaccine was developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI).

The pilot program, known as the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Program (MVIP), aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in real-world settings, as well as its impact on malaria transmission and disease burden. The program was implemented in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and other partners.

The pilot program was launched in 2019, with the goal of vaccinating approximately 360,000 children aged 6-23 months in the three countries. The vaccine was administered in a series of four doses, with the first dose given at 6 weeks of age and subsequent doses given every 8 weeks.

The results of the pilot program were published in 2020 and showed that the vaccine was safe and effective in preventing severe malaria and hospitalizations. The vaccine was also found to have a moderate impact on reducing malaria cases and deaths.

Based on the success of the pilot program, the WHO recommended the use of RTS,S in 2021, making it the first malaria vaccine to be approved for widespread use. The vaccine is now being rolled out in several countries in Africa, with the goal of eventually controlling and eliminating malaria in the region.