Photo : D Poland/PATH/BBC
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : D Poland/PATH/BBC
IN BRIEF
by Apoorva Sudhakar
Malawi: First large-scale malaria vaccination campaign begins
On 29 November, the WHO country representative said the world’s first large-scale infant vaccination drive against malaria had commenced in Malawi. The RTS,S vaccine vaccine will be administered through a country-wide immunisation programme in 11 of the 28 districts; 330,000 children will be vaccinated in this first phase. In 2020, at least 2,500 deaths of children under five years were recorded due to the illness. The national malaria control programme manager was hopeful the malaria vaccine would bring down the number of deaths, despite the low efficacy of the vaccine. (Grace Nyenyezi Khombe, “Malawi begins first large-scale malaria vaccination,” BBC, 29 November 2022)
South Sudan: Expel officials linked to sexual violence, recommends UN panel
On 29 November, BBC reported that the chairperson of the panel investigating sexual violence in South Sudan called on the government to prosecute the officials, including state governors and county commissioners, involved in the crime. The news report quoted the chairperson: “Nowhere in the world do you find so many women who experience conflict by being repeatedly gang raped... while the men responsible are promoted and rewarded.” Another panel member said the “dehumanising sexual violence” in South Sudan in 2022 was a culmination of the government’s “failure over many years to hold individuals accountable.” (Nichola Mandil, “South Sudan urged to prosecute officials linked to rape,” BBC, 29 November 2022)