Hardest-hit Nigeria is latest African country to provide malaria vaccine to young children

Associated Press

BAYELSA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria is the latest African country to give a new malaria vaccine to young childen. The country began its vaccination campaign last week. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and it accounts for about a quarter of the malaria cases worldwide. Its health minister called the new vaccination campaign a “monumental step” in the country’s efforts to eliminate the mosquito-borne disease. Accordinging to a World Health Organization report released Wednesday, there were an estimated 263 million cases of malaria and 597,000 deaths worldwide last year. The majority were in Africa and mostly in young children.